Page 38 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 18

“Why would you call yourself a

Chris�an psychologist?”

Ques�ons to Steven L. Voss

How did you come to study psychology?

I grew up on a farm in the Midwest of the Uni-
ted States. I was a first-genera�on college stu-
dent as neither of my parents had gone to col-
lege. I was not sure I wanted to go to college
but approximately two years a�er I graduated
high school the Lord worked in my life to follow
him by going to a two-year Bible college to stu-
dy the Bible. I was thinking about missions or Steven Voss (USA)
educa�on at the �me. Through my interac�ons is a psychology pro-
with a friend who was receiving counseling, I fessor and licensed
began to think about counseling and psycho- psychotherapist. He
logy as a way to minister to people. Prior to teaches at Hannibal-
that, I was unfamiliar with psychology and I had LaGrange University
never known anyone who received counseling. in Hannibal, Missouri,
The thought had been planted. When I transfer- USA.
red to a four-year college to earn my Bachelor’s Dr. Voss has research
Degree, I changed my focus. I became a double interests in a�ach-
major in psychology and philosophy/religion. ment theory, the psy-
chology of religion,
What was the focus of your study study/trai- and the integra�on of
ning? Did you get any results that you would psychology and theo-
especially like to emphasize? logy. He maintains a
private prac�ce and
My focus at the bachelor’s level was general sees clients weekly.
psychology (Buena Vista University). However, When not working, he
because I had a lot of Bible, religion, and philo- enjoys wilderness ad-
sophy courses, I was immediately drawn to the venture, travel, and
idea of understanding psychology through the spending �me with fa-
lens of the scripture. My educa�on in psycho- mily.
logy, though at the bachelor’s and master’s le-
vel was secular, was carefully analyzed through SVoss@hlg.edu
the truth of the Bible. This was in a day when Former contribu�on
the integra�on movement was growing in po- in our eJournal by Ste-
pularity and strength. I read material by Gary ven you can see her:
Collins, Clyde Narramore, and an early book by h�ps://emcapp.ignis
Larry Crabb. These, and other authors ignited .de/14/#p=13
my passion for both psychology and Chris�an h�ps://emcapp.ignis
truth. Another important author that influ- .de/15/#p=13
enced my early educa�on was Arthur Holmes
who spoke of all truth coming from God. Thus,
understanding psychology through biblical
truth was a passion of mine very early on.

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