Page 38 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 11

Roland Mahler (Switzerland)
Comment to Roland Mahler
Dr.,
Theologist,
“The Rhythm of Psychologist MSc,
Redemption. On our Psychotherapist
SPV, until 2017 he
Relationship with the Holy was the director
of the Institute of
Spirit in Clinical Work“ Christian Psycho-

logy, Psychothera-
py and Education,
Marie Hofmann tries to introduce a spirit- Switzerland www.
based psychotherapy on the basis of Hegels icptp.ch. He is the author of „Gewissen und
«Phenomenology of Spirit» i.e. it’s theological Gewissensbildung in der Psychotherapie“
perspectives (as drawn by Peter C. Hodgson) (Conscience and Forming of Conscience in
for human sciences and especially for thera- Psychotherapy) 2009. From 1986 -1998 he
peutic Work. This attempt is probably unique directed the therapeutic center Best Hope.
and could probably exclusively arise in a non-
continental framework of philosophy, theology roland.mahler@icptp.ch
and psychotherapy. Hegel, in continental tradi-
tion stands for the absolute spirit to which eve- Former articles by Roland you can see here:
ry truth is submitted and therefore induces the http://www.emcapp.ignis.de/2/#/116
intellectual disaster of cultural protestantism in http://www.emcapp.ignis.de/10/#/52
the 19th century. So as a continental thinker the http://www.emcapp.ignis.de/10/#p=42
question arises : What can Hegel do good for a http://www.emcapp.ignis.de/10/#p=8
contemporary Christian concept of science?

After briefly introducing P.C.Hodgson`s view by the formula of an «Absolute Spirit». For He-
of Hegelian Philosophy of Religion (which gel this means not primarily a personal entity
stood quite against the position of Schleierma- but a philosophical chiffre without any perso-
cher. The latter was cirticised harshly in Hegel`s nal content. The overcoming of subjectivity as
Foreword to Hinrich`s Philosophy of Religion) a result of Hegelian thinking and the culmina-
and his conception of a «Hegelian Christian tion of human religious efforts in the Christian
Theology» the article tries to build a clinical un- Religion of the Spirit (which has been «disen-
derstanding of therapy upon the actualization chanted» by European and World History , i.e.
oft he Hegelian spirit i.e. upon the presence of by World War I) show the danger of such a phi-
hope where «subjectivity has given up all ex- losophical usurpation of theology.
ternal distinctions» (Hodgson). In five clinical
recognitions the author lays a fundament for Anyway I belief in the five recognitions to be
a sacread space in which the Holy Spirit in- a valuable framework for psychotherapeuti-
teracts in between the client and the therapist. cal processes and I`m sure they are adequate
I think it is not quite evident how these reco- prerequisites for a spirit-guided work in this
gnitions emerge from Hegelian or Hodgsonian realm. The incarnative roles of the therapist for
theology more than they could do from ano- the client`s reconstructional process of his own
ther theological or philosophical backgound biography display the healing and redemptive
(i.e. Dooyeweerd`s Christian ground motive presence of Christ in the therapist`s listening
of creation, fall and redemption). The Hegelian and gazing at the beginning of a sequence of
«Phenomenology of Spirit» seems to me a ty- consultations. The hard work on transferences,
pical product of a philosophy of reason which the uprising of fears and hates, the drawing of
tries to replace the Christian conception of God lines become a passion that leads to crucifixion.

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