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David Entwistle: A 4-Mat Review
The book under review is “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity” by David Entwistle.
Summary
The book by Entwistle shows the integration of Psychology and Christianity in theory and practice. The two fields may seem to be the opposite of each other, but they explain the pains, experiences, morals and believe in human life. Christianity believes in God while Psychology is more of a science concerned with human behaviors. Psychology does not believe in the word of God or the power of God. Psychology attempts to explain emotional and social behaviors of every individual in the society. On the other hand, Christians believe in Jesus and His teachings in the Holy Bible. They have faith in God and follow His commandments as it is in the Bible. Christians read, understand and interpret God’s word in their lives.
The book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity puts across the importance of the two disciplines in the society. As much as they seem too impossible to coexist, they are vital in human life. When the two are combined they do a great work in the society, including counseling, healing and brokenness in human beings. At the beginning of this book the author shows how psychology influences human reason in the society. Psychology helps to influence the ideas of people and affects their thinking capacity. He continues to explain that people of the world, especially non-Christians accept any idea or any situation as it is because they do not have their own view. This affects peoples’ morals and views according to the lives they have lived in their past.
The book also explains why different people in the society have different behaviors and morals as a result of the experiences they have gone through. Most people in our society are who they are after many life experiences have molded them to who they are today. According to the book, the fields of Psychology and Christianity are a combined to form a powerful tool in the society. It is possible that human reason and biblical truth can be reconciled. According to the book, psychology is in us as we grow, from our family setup, our different cultures and the society at large. This explains why a certain person who is brought up in a certain kind of environment most likely will have behaviors related to that environment.
In the book, Entwistle explores the relationship between the way a person grows and the society that raises him or her. At the same time, Entwistle recommends that the incorporation of psychology with Christianity need to be taken as a noun and a verb. Entwistle states that the two should be taken as “as a noun and a verb” (page16) (Entwistle, 2010). Entwistle makes a conclusion that the combination of psychology and Christianity is a possibility in the society since individuals have the ability to use the two fields. In the book, Entwistle takes an accurate view of the world by considering a world view of the way the society accepts sin and sinners as well. In addition, Entwistle describes the views of the world as a reality that is etched in all the people and the societies. According to Entwistle, even the culture and the function of the families reflects the combination both psychology and Christianity.
Concrete Response
After exploring the book, I can relate to Entwistle and the ideologies that he presents in the book through statements. One of the statements I relate to is that,
“As systems of thought, both psychology and Christian theology provide useful perspectives through which we can study and understand human behavior, and together they can give us a more complete and accurate picture of human nature and functioning than either perspective can provide alone” (Page 3) (Entwistle, 2010).
This assertion by Entwistle is true since the two fields for the main elements of understanding a human aspect in terms of emotions and spirituality. Psychology provides the emotional and behavioral perspective of understanding the human character and the factors that influence us. On the other hand, Christianity explains the aspects that influence our behavior that are beyond the human explanation. The spiritual principles of Christianity help the world to understand how and why they face experiences and the way they respond to such experiences.
In our first week in college, our class lost a colleague through an accident, just outside the gate to the school. At this time, I could not understand why the young man had to die and why he had to exit the world just near the college gate. It is now that this book brings some light as to why some things happen by shedding light on how the pastor of the funeral service talked about the situation. This book now helps me to understand that the clergy combined psychology and Christianity to calm us down. The book helped me understand that the happenings and allowed me to cope with such pains in life.
Reflection
What troubles me about this book is that Entwistle leaves out a conscious element of Christianity as it relates to counseling despite exploring psychology and Christianity. In the book, Entwistle does not discuss or describe the process or processes of integration of the concept of the Holy Spirit or his dwelling place. According to the Christian believe, the Holy Spirit is the provider of guideline during a counseling session. This is because the Holy Spirit is the foundation of everything and that all knowledge and direction comes from him. And counseling being a an activity that uses knowledge to show direction, I would expect that the book would explore the correlation with the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I would be happy to interview Mr. Entwistle and get to know why he left out the role of the Holy Spirit in the healing process.
However, the book provides an explanation that Christianity is the basis of counseling as it quotes Jesus as the wonderful counselor. And as a good counselor, Jesus sent another counselor, who is the Holy Spirit. In the bible, Jesus stated, “But I tell you the truth: it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7, 13 (NIV). The Holy Spirit is the comforter that Jesus promised, and I wonder why the book did not focus on the comforter who Jesus sent to live with us forever. However, by understanding the Christian faith and abiding with the words of Jesus Christ, we will be live in the influence of the Holy Spirit, who was sent by Him.
Action
One of the main lessons that I leant from the book is that important discoveries can be done by taking a look at life phenomenon in different perspectives. The book by Entwistle provides a different view of Psychology as it relates to Christianity and gives the reader the ability to understand the two fields through the use of the words and actions. According Entwistle (2010), there are two books from God, the words and the actions. Entwistle states that, “As we explore His word and His works, we seek to think God’s thoughts after Him” (Page 208) (Entwistle, 2010). Therefore, our works as the people who follow His word should reflect our identity as Christian counselors who should use our Christianity to understand and help our clients. This is the only way that we can live by his word and live like him or like he wanted us to live.
Therefore, I have to interact with people daily with a colonialist view as proposed by Entwistle in his book. This model helps people to adopt a discipline of taking control, influence or prominence over others. As a supervisor in an organization, I have to take control over the circumstances that i face in my profession. In addition, I will allow the word of God to influence my work and portray actions that tend to influence others towards the Christian principles and the love of Christ as a counselor. Through this approach, I will become a counselor who changes the opinion and outlook of other people through my interactions with people. This will be a result of reading and understanding the word of God and translating it into professional work that touches the lives of others.
References
Entwistle, D. N. (2010). Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. (2011). Grand Rapids, MI: Biblica, Inc