of Truth and is completely trustworthy. There is an emphasis upon applications within Christian contexts, including the church.” While the authors do seek to emphasize classic studies of psychotherapy, the clinical orientation is firmly based on a Christian counseling perspective. Three of the four other texts to be discussed also take a nouthetic approach in that they argue counseling should be thoroughly grounded in the Scriptures as the only rule of faith and practice. These texts are: Jay E. Adams’ The Christian Counselor’s Manual; Jay E. Adams’ Shepherding God’s Flock; Clyde M. Narramore’s The Psychology Of Counseling. The fifth book analyzed deals with personality types as defined by the enneagram, and argues that only the acceptance of grace enables us to transform our lives. The authors propose the enneagram as a useful tool leading to the acceptance of grace, in Personality Types: Using The Enneagram For Self-Discovery.
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY & COUNSELING
The first chapter introduces us to psychology as the study of the thinking and behavior of human beings and outlines six different ways of knowing. Each of these ways, from authority to the scientific method can add value to the Christian perspective of affirming God’s existence. While psychology and Christianity can have an adversarial relationship, the authors argue the two can be integrated as long as syncretism does not occur. There are many theological concepts that can be compatible to psychological concepts, such as sin equating with abnormal psychology or the nature of man being compatible with personality. However, theology views all descriptions of human phenomena that are valid as “bringing credit to God as the Creator.” Thus, whether an issue like sexual deviance is viewed from a social, child development or physiological framework, any valid framework is credited to God as the Creator of man. The authors speculate on ...