Page 54 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 22

Eric L. Johnson, Ph.D.
Founder & Scholar-in-Residence, Chris�an Psychology Ins�tute h�ps://
www.chris�anpsychins�tute.org/; Author-in-Residence, Sojourn East,
Professor of Chris�an Psychology (ret.), Houston Chris�an University; Se-
nior Research Professor, Southern Bap�st Theological Seminary

Former contribu�ons in our eJournal by Eric you can see here:

h�p://emcapp.ignis.de/1/#/96
h�p://emcapp.ignis.de/6/#/8
h�p://emcapp.ignis.de/2/#/4
Eric Johnson (USA) h�p://emcapp.ignis.de/8/#p=8

h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/11/#p=22
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/15/#p=60
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/21/#p=110

Comment to

„How the Holy Spirit orchestrates spiritual forma�on - Insights

from Theology and findings from Posi�ve Psychology “

Two Disciplines or One? A Contra-Modern the ar�cle that arose in the past 200 years: that
Response theology and psychology are unrelated, auto-
Thanks are due to Johannes Haack for this nomous disciplines, having different objects
splendid, well-wri�en ar�cle. In it he provides and methods. This assump�on, of course, is
a competent overview of dis�nctly Chris�an uncontroversial in our day. Most Chris�ans in
principles and prac�ces of spiritual forma�on, psychology share it, and it underlies the ap-
drawing from both classical and contemporary proach called the “integra�on of theology and
sources; he offers a nuanced and balanced dis- psychology.” To its credit, however, integra�on
cussion of the mystery of the rela�on between is mo�vated by a spiritual sense that similar in-
divine and human ac�vity in the spiritual sights/findings from the two disciplines some-
change process; and in the last por�on, a signi- how belong together and that it’s the Chris-
ficant survey of posi�ve psychology demons- �an’s task to bring them together – as was
tra�ng sound Chris�an discernment that consi- done quite aptly in the ar�cle.
ders dis�nctly Chris�an contribu�ons to posi�-
ve psychology and interprets secular posi�ve I’m personally very grateful for integra�ve
psychology from a Chris�an standpoint. Any work, and I wish there were more of it. But the
number of the sec�ons could have been tur- ar�cle got me to thinking that the ac�vity of in-
ned into their own ar�cle (and I hope that will tegra�on doesn’t usually lead to something,
happen!). Readers will be in his debt. like the forma�on of a new, integrated discipli-
ne. Perhaps I’m just missing it, but if that’s
Rather than elaborate on a specific topic wi- true, integra�ve ac�vity would seem to be an
thin the ar�cle, I’d like to explore what might inherently temporary affair. A�er one writes or
be called a meta-disciplinary assump�on of reads an integra�ve ar�cle or book, it seems as

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