Page 102 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 1

Letters to the Editor

to use the term of Eric Johson in his ‚Foundations for I was initially introduced to EMCAPP when I was stu-
soul care‘. These tendencies dominate in my country (the dying at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary un-
Netherlands) up to now. I searched in premodern psy- der Dr. Eric Johnson. I still remember the excitement
chology and found much. that we had when we were contacted by IGNIS for the
Doctoral thesis with an attempt to integrate christian in- first time. We were encouraged by knowing that Christi-
spirations and modern psychology on virtues, somewhat an psychologists in Europe had walked this road before
supported by American integrationism. us. In particular, I appreciated EMCAPP for their effort
Here is a little discussion with one of my thesis supervi- in turning Christian psychology into a worldwide mo-
sors, professor in philosophy and theology, rather mo- vement. As the president, Werner May, mentioned in
dernist: this editorial note in this journal, “Christian psychology
He: ‚You are trying to use much of the Christian tradition promotes respect for cultures….and understanding each
in your research...‘: Me: ‚Yes, I find there is a lot of gold other does not happen automatically”. I am sure that as
under the dust‘. He: ‚Well, these layers of dust are very psychologists, psychotherapists and anthropologists, you
very very thick‘.... have all seen that working with human soul requires a
And then at the end of this desert quest I struck upon culture-sensitive perspective. It is more than using poli-
‚Foundations for Soul Care‘ by Eric Johnson, so thorough tic language and emphasizing tolerance. It needs a hard
a work and from there to IGNIS with it‘s very didactical work that we invite people from different traditions and
‚Foundations‘- and so to this magazine. listen to each other.
Revelations. Inspirations. Touched by the story of the Po- More essentially, as Christian soul caretakers, we try our
lish Christian Psychologists. best to understand a man in the same way that God un-
What a perspective, that now we may proceed to reform derstands him. Approximating God’s complete know-
psychology. It is a task as David against Goliath. Well, no ledge of a person includes taking “infinite numbers of a
not that we have to kill it, refòrm...not against but filter combination of Christian faith and psychology.”In this
out, make honey out of it (Basilius the Great, quoted by sense, I sincerely appreciate the work that EMCAPP has
Kathrin Halder, ‚Grundlagen der Christlichen Psycho- done in Europe. Reading the historical background of the
logie‘). We have the wealth of two eminent books about formation of EMCAPP inspired me to hope for an Asian
foundations! Movement for Christian Anthropology, Psychology and
Wish all the success to this magazine and hope to see Psychotherapy. Your effort in building Christian psycho-
many of you in Poland next year. logy ‘together’ will be a great model and encouragement
for Christian psychologists and counselors in Asia. The
Martijn Lindt, em. Lecturer University of Amsterdam, history of Christianity here is relatively short. Yet, the
Lecturer Bonifatius, Theological Institute Haarlem-Amsterdam. relationship of Christianity to traditional Asian religions
and Western modernism has shaped very unique cha-
racteristics of Christian psychology in Asia. Therefore,
Christian psychologists in Asia are asked to take a diffe-
“Thank you for providing me with an advance copy of rent process than in Europe. Nevertheless, I believe “mo-
your journal. As an Anglo-Catholic Clinical Psychologist ving together in unity and diversity” is the same quest we
teaching and conducting Christian psychotherapy in the must take up as you did so fruitfully.
United States, I found your forum helpful and fascina- Congratulate EMCAPP on their internet journal and
ting. Among the discussions that I found especially intri- wish to see it bloom by having many different voices from
guing were the articles on despair. What I find implicit in around world.
the discussion is that- regardless of the thinkers‘ theore-
tical positions on despair- the idea that despair exists as UnHye Kwon, Ph.D
a pathological phenomenon is agreed, as well as the fact Maum Counseling & Research Bundang, South Korea
that the medicine for despair is exposure to that which
the New Testament calls Agape and associates with the
very person and essence of God. Your discussion made
me wonder if the diagnosis of types of clinical depression
may in fact have spiritual despair - or a kind of eclipse of
God - at their core. In any case, one must thank God, qui-
te literally, that there is a cure for the disease of despair.
I also look forward to attending your EMCAPP Confe-
rence in Warsaw in September 2012 …”

Charles Zeiders, Psy.D., Clinical Director, Christian Counseling
and Therapy Associates of the Main Line, Philadelphia, USA,
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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