Summary Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, Third Edition PDF

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Running Head: 4MAT REVIEW: Integrative Approaches

4MAT REVIEW: Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Ja’Net Garrett Liberty University

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“What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” (p. 8). Is the question that Tertulian proposed as a protest to integrating Psychology and Theology? In this review of literature “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity” by David N. Entwistle (2010). He approaches a subject that is normally avoided due to the nature of two cohesive but slightly different topics; Psychology and Christianity. While most remain neutral or reserved about the matter others have neither question nor thought in regards to the subject. In this piece of literature Entwistle, depicts the two as a fork in the road. This saying is often used as an epiphany to described when you have to make a life changing decision and the outcome will often determine where this journey in life will take you. He shows how people have been against one another because of the two practices since the beginning of time. Then, he furthers his explanation to incorporate Blamires alternative rendition of Tertulian’s viewpoint. “Blamires helps us to see that we can learn from “secular” sources while framing our thinking with a Christian worldview and applying knowledge with Christian concern” (p. 9) By looking at this idea he entertains the possibility of theology and psychology to co-exist in the same area because of the nature of both: one is based solely on faith and the other is based on truth. The introduction of the book lays the foundation to join the common aspects of psychology and theology to, “commit to a Christian worldview that shapes how psychology is studied and applied, and that recognizes that there are specific Christian resources that uniquely reveal crucial aspects of what it means to be human” (p. 14). As Entwistle explores the possibility of adjoining the two practices he decides that All truth is God’s truth” (Entwistle, 2004, p.16) This is a central idea to Entwistle’s position that Christianity and psychology are to be allies with equal say in the truth. As he explores these truths he pulls from the historical worldview or life perspective affects how we interact or comprehend

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and relate to our experiences and the world (Entwistle, 56). of integrating faith and science and looks at the foundational beginning of both and how scholars of the time viewed each topic. Entwistle closes this chapter with one thought that I believe could be the foundation of why you should incorporate the each practice. “The interaction of psychology and theology is virtually inevitable due to their mutual interest in understanding the ambiguities and mysteries of human behavior, and healing human brokenness” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 51). Entwistle gives an indepth analysis of the history and worldview of different cultures and belief systems and how they came to be. As society slowly transitioned from a moden view to a post-modern view Epistemology set in and caused a ripple in logical reasoning and empiricism of the world. Entwistle’s quest to acquire virtue he reminds the reader that, “we are limited by finitude and prone to error, one of the most important virtue’s that we need to cultivate is humility”…. If we fail to exercise the virtue of humility we run the risk of being quite sure of ourselves, and quite wrong”(p. 76).

In saying this he provides insight that he

knows that as a human race we cannot do it on our own and therefore, “we might want to think of Christian theology and psychology as instruments in an orchestra” (p.131) We can use what we need to remain in balance and in tune with our peers and our loved ones. Next, Entwistle, introduces five working models “that I am developing are analogous to the ways that nations interact with each other”(p.135). The five models of integration are: Enemies, Spies, Colonialists, Neutral Parties and Allies. The five models represent different ways of conceptualizing the relationship between psychology and religion in general, or psychology and Christianity, in particular” (p.136). In the chapters that conclude the book Entwistle, reveals his model-of-choice and explains in depth why he chose it. He explains his preference and introduces the two books of God’s truth’s which are 1) God’s Word (Scripture) 2) God’s Works (creation), which further explains his reasoning and why he chose the Allies model. He seems to take a firm

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belief in that in this this life we are limited in our opinions and assumptions but with God’s Word and the book of his Work to help us along the way. CONCRETE RESPONSE As a child, I was raised primarily in the south, around boy cousins and a host of aunts, and uncles. I was also raised around women were teenage pregnancy was the “absolute” future for young girls. I often felt more comfortable around boys than girls, which was obvious who I chose to hang out with because of that I was often labeled as “fast” or “mean”. With people doing this I quickly developed a tough exterior and it became my mission to overcome the odds. Intially, this was hard because I did not know where to turn. Once left from home as a United States Air Force airmen, I began to explore new things and gather new perspectives about life. One thing that I discovered was that people were mean. Not like at home I had grown accustomed to that type of

Allies acknowledge that all truth is God’s truth, and seek to integrate truth from both disciplines with their allegiance being to neither discipline but to God (Ibid, 149, 207).

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References Entwistle, D. N. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration. (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR:...