Page 96 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 1

Forum

Christian Psychology, only

for Christians?
By P. Andrei Lorgus

So do many people think, both scientists and ordinary
people. But this is a myth. It is one of the myths of our
time, when a firm agnostic approach is attributed to sci-
ence. Contemporary scholarship is often considered to be
agnostic and atheist. But this is not true. Among scientists
and those who are actively involved in the application of
scientific achievements, among patients and clients – the-
re are many deep, sincere and practicing believers. For
the vast majority of people science and faith are incom-
patible with each other. Some people say that science and
religion are mutually inconsistent. So such is a myth. But
we - Christian psychologists, -scholars and Christians are
convinced that this is not true at all.
Our interest lies in something else. Can contemporary
Christian psychology be interesting and useful for peop-
le, scientists and patients, who do not share our Christian
beliefs? Can Christian psychology provide the theories,
the teaching about human being, which could give the
most sublime and true knowledge? We can also put the
question another way: Is there something in Christian Andrei Lorgus, Russia, is a Priest
psychology that can not be found in other psychological of the Russian Orthodox Chur-
approaches and schools? Certainly, there is! That is our ch, Moscow, psychologist and
answer and our creed. counselor, Rector of the Insti-
Christian psychology regards a human being not as a psy- tute of Christian Psychology,
chic structure, a combination of psychic functions, ele- Moscow. As a theological an-
ments and system of determinants and factors, but first of thropologist he has published
all as a personality – living, inimitable and unique! Every the conference volumes of the
human being is a unique personality, no matter whether Russian-Austrian Theological
he wants to be or not. This is the most important condi- Conferences 2003 -2007.
tion of development for scientific psychology.
Christian psychology is convinced, and is trying to assu-
re both scholars and clients in the conviction, that in the
depths of human personality each person has all the po-
wers and resources, all capacities and blessings, necessary
for human life. The secret is that all these blessings given
by God are granted to human beings redundantly. It me-
ans that human talents and capacities will never run out.
Christian psychology asserts that there is always an op-
portunity to help a person in a difficult situation if he
desires so. That means Christian psychology believes in
human being, and sees in him the source of healing and
development.
People of different views are coming to our Christian
practice. Christian faith is not an obstruction in the way
of accepting everyone. Religious convictions are not a
psychotherapeutic term of our practice. The main con-
dition is trust of human being, in his beauty and intelli-
gence.
Christian psychology is really interesting and rich, as it
embraces and develops the two-thousand year ascetic ex-
perience of mankind: the practice of pastoral counseling
and spiritual perfection.

96