I'm blessed that our Pastor actually reads from the Bible in church. Radical, but there it is. Ellery - oops used my wife's log in again. At least mine won't wear out.
I have to wonder what this means precisely. It is true that some (most?) psychiatric counseling or psychological practice is based on unbiblical principles. This is dependent on the counselor or physician as they treat individuals or small groups of people with related issues.
It's a separate issue where ministers apply a similar worldview to what they communicate corporately to their churches.
However, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are people, Christians even, with emotional conditioning from extreme situations (for example: abuse, close combat or physical trauma can cause attachment disorders, PTSD or anger problems) or neurologically-based behavioral disorders (depression, schizophrenia, etc) who benefit from counselors and physicians who know how to handle these individuals and get them the help they need. There's a difference between schizophrenia and demon possession, for example. Multiple Personality Disorder can arise out of prolonged childhood abuse.
To be sure, you don't give otherwise healthy people medicine they don't need. The Christian gospel particularly addresses the problem of sin that all of us have and it is certainly a mistake to treat sin the same as a psychological or behavioral disorder. But we shouldn't discount the proper place of Christian counseling any more that we should advise someone with chest pains not to see a cardiologist.
Cool!!! This is completely true!
ReplyDeleteThis has been one of the biggest reasons for creating doubt in the sufficiency of Scripture within the church than any other thing.
ReplyDeleteI am compelled to agree. Much of today's preaching is more of group therapy than biblical exegesis.
ReplyDeleteI'm blessed that our Pastor actually reads from the Bible in church. Radical, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteEllery - oops used my wife's log in again. At least mine won't wear out.
Well said!
ReplyDeleteShould mail one of these in poster size to every Christian counselor organization in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteThen find out which ones hung it up on the wall.
I still love this one. Good idea, Mr. Pooka (if that's your real name)!
ReplyDeleteAmen (times one thousand).
ReplyDelete"psychiatric and psychoanalytical dogmas"
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder what this means precisely. It is true that some (most?) psychiatric counseling or psychological practice is based on unbiblical principles. This is dependent on the counselor or physician as they treat individuals or small groups of people with related issues.
It's a separate issue where ministers apply a similar worldview to what they communicate corporately to their churches.
However, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are people, Christians even, with emotional conditioning from extreme situations (for example: abuse, close combat or physical trauma can cause attachment disorders, PTSD or anger problems) or neurologically-based behavioral disorders (depression, schizophrenia, etc) who benefit from counselors and physicians who know how to handle these individuals and get them the help they need. There's a difference between schizophrenia and demon possession, for example. Multiple Personality Disorder can arise out of prolonged childhood abuse.
To be sure, you don't give otherwise healthy people medicine they don't need. The Christian gospel particularly addresses the problem of sin that all of us have and it is certainly a mistake to treat sin the same as a psychological or behavioral disorder. But we shouldn't discount the proper place of Christian counseling any more that we should advise someone with chest pains not to see a cardiologist.