Why Psychology Cannot Heal the Soul ?
The Dangers of Integrating the Bible and Psychology
- by Pastor Bob DeWaay www.cicministry.org
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2Timothy 3:16,17)
Is the person who is trained in Scripture, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and called by God to minister to the lost and hurting adequately equipped to counsel? For centuries of church history, the answer was an unequivocal "yes." Modern psychology has radically changed the answer to this question.
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Psychology and the Church
Some seminaries and Bible colleges now offer a broader range of psychological training for prospective minis- ters than Biblical training. Nearly all of them require the study of psychology. Many assert that any pastor or church worker untrained in modern psychology is not equipped to counsel anyone, no matter how knowl- edgeable he may be in Scripture or how many years of experience he has. Counseling individuals about marriage, family, emotional distress, personal relationships, raising children, work, etc. no longer fits the category "every good work," for which Scripture itself claims to equip one.
Another professor of psychology is even more suspicious of the effectiveness of psychology: "Despite the creation of a virtual army of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychometrists, counselors, and social workers, there has been no letup in the rate of mental illness, suicide, alcoholism, drug addiction, child abuse, divorce, murder, and general mayhem.
Untold billions of dollars have been spent in the arena of mental health this century. Can you think of one human malady that has been cured as a result?
Questions for the Psychological Integrators
1) How do we accept or reject the many competing theories that are being presented to us in cur- rent literature, especially since the scientists in these fields themselves are unable to come to agreement?
2) When has sufficient, reasonable probability been shown to integrate "God's truths" as found in psychology and sociology with the body of revealed truth found in Scripture?
3) Are truths gleaned by science from the creation to be given a one to one degree of significance with Biblically revealed truths discerned hermeneutically (through proper Biblical interpretation)?
4) How many pastors and other Christian workers have the time or skills to sort through the deluge of conflicting data from these arenas and determine that which is truthful, workable, and pertinent to integrate into his or her practice?
5) How do we extricate (remove or untangle) the occult and New Age practices that are so much a part of counseling and the social sciences in the 1990-s?
6) Does not the integration of so-called "social science" into the church necessarily lead to the development of a psychological and sociological "priesthood" to mediate their obscure "truths" to the uninitiated laity?
7) Are those who advocate integrating teachings from psychology and sociology with Biblical teach- ings raising the theories of these human endeavors to the level of Biblical truth, or are they lowering Biblical truth to the level of the unproven theories?
Jesus Christ is our Creator (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2). He has perfect knowledge of man, including that of the motives and intentions of the heart. He has the power to heal, the love and mercy to forgive, and embodies and teaches the truth which will set us free.
Isaiah 28 records a rebuke to Israel for forsaking God's teaching and making an alliance with Egypt, hoping to be saved from Assyria. In the midst of this chapter is an often quoted Messianic prophecy (Isaiah 28:16). Verse 20 uses a metaphor to describe the world's provision: "The bed is too short on which to stretch out, and the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in." A clear implication of Isaiah 28 is that when Messiah is passed over for a man-made, secular solution, the results are unsatisfactory.
The psychological bed upon which the Christian is seeking to recline is too short. "Therefore thus says the Lord God, `Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed'" (Isaiah 28:16).
