Page 186 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 14

Nathaniel Marino, M.A.
Living in the Larger Story:

The Christian Psychology
of Larry Crabb

One of the giants of Christian psychology is
the author, speaker, and spiritual director, Lar-
ry Crabb. On May 16-17, 2019, family, friends,
colleagues, and admirers gathered in Houston,
Texas at Houston Baptist University to celebra-
te Larry’s life and works. The conference was
hosted by the recently formed Gideon Institute
of Christian Psychology and Counseling to ce-
lebrate the work of Larry Crabb in light of his
development over the years of a practical Chri-
stian psychology that addresses everyday Chri-
stiana living.

The conference opened with Jason Kanz, a
practicing clinical neuropsychologist from Eau
Claire, Wisconsin, welcoming all the attendees
and participants, including Larry and his wife, tual Formation; and as a founding co-editor of
Rachel, and son, Kep. Eric Johnson, Professor the Conversations Journal (together with Larry
of Christian Psychology at Houston Baptist Crabb and David Benner). Gary had some fun
University and Director of the Gideon Institute, with Larry, highlighting Larry’s lively and con-
outlined its vision to further the development tagious spirit, as well as his love for Elvis. More
and establishment of Christian psychology as than anything else, Gary praised Larry for his
a Christ-centered, biblically-rooted, and scien- consistent tendency to promote change in the
tifically informed field of research and clinical Christian community, and thanked him for
practice. One of its tasks is to hold public edu- his transparency, authenticity, insight, blunt-
cational events and conferences on topics rela- ness, and loyalty. Gary’s message was only the
ted to Christian psychology, of which this is the first to bless Larry’s heart. Miriam “Mimi” Di-
first, and he suggested that Larry Crabb’s career xon was the senior pastor of First Presbyterian
increasingly demonstrated a Christian psycho- Church of Golden, CO, and the Crabbs’ pastor
logy orientation across the decades. for the years they lived in Colorado. Mimi de-
livered an eloquent message in which she com-
A number of the speakers were professionals in pared the themes throughout Larry’s writings
the field who spoke on various aspects of Larry’s and examples of the way he has lived his life to
contributions, and most of them would count the themes and illustrations in John Bunyan’s
Larry a close friend. The first speaker of the classic Pilgrim’s Progress. Ed Welch, biblical
event was Gary Moon, was the executive direc- counseling leader and faculty member at the
tor of the Martin Institute for Christianity and Christian Counseling and Education Founda-
Culture and the Dallas Willard Center for Chri- tion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, reflected on
stian Spiritual Formation at Westmont College the many themes throughout Larry’s seminal
from 2011 to 2018, and continues in leadership. book 66 Love Letters. Finally, Siang-Yang Tan,
He served as the founding director of the Reno- Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological
varé International Institute for Christian Spiri- Seminary and senior pastor of First Evangelical

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