Page 10 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 23

To get in the mood for the main topic

Dallas served as a pastor for seven years
before transi�oning into the counselling
field. With a Master of Arts in Clinical Pas-
toral Counselling, he specialize in integra-
�ng faith and mental health, helping indi-
viduals walk in the fullness of life Christ
offers. He is passionate about guiding
others toward healing, wholeness, and the
abundant life found in Him.

Dallas Gold (Canada):

Clinical Consequences of the Therapist’s Theology
How Divine Sovereignty and Human Agency Coexist—and Shape the Work of Therapy.

This ar�cle explores the dynamic rela�onship bet- not opposing forces, but complementary truths. In
ween divine sovereignty and human agency from therapy—where autonomy is essen�al to he-
both theological and therapeu�c perspec�ves. aling—this theological clarity has profound clinical
While determinis�c views of God’s control can lead consequences.
to spiritual passivity or anxiety, a view that affirms For years, I’ve wrestled with a par�cular ques�on:
free will aligns more closely with the biblical narra- What is more powerful—To control everything, en-
�ve and supports healthy psychological func�o- suring every created thing abides by the Creator’s
ning. Drawing from Genesis 2 and integra�ng clini- will, or to create all things, freely give the ability to
cal insights on decision-making and autonomy, this choose, and s�ll accomplish what the Creator set
piece argues that free will is not a threat to divine out to do from the beginning?
sovereignty, but a profound expression of it. In the
therapeu�c space, such a theological founda�on I have come to favour the la�er—not only because
allows for the empowerment of clients as ac�ve it resonates with human experience, but because
agents of change, rather than passive vic�ms of it aligns with the biblical witness of a God who invi-
predetermined circumstances. The ar�cle invites tes, entrusts, and empowers His most prized crea-
both counsellors and theologians to consider how �on.
deeply one's view of God shapes their view of the
self—and how this impacts the work of healing This convic�on is not merely philosophical—it has
and growth. real-world consequences. The way we understand
God’s rela�onship to human freedom shapes our
Theological Founda�ons in the Clinical Space posture toward life. A determinis�c view of sover-
Free will is a difficult concept to grasp. So too is Go- eignty tends to produce one of two outcomes:
d’s Sovereignty. Can God be God if He does not
control every detail of the cosmos? Many have 1. Spiritual passivity — “It will all work out, no
argued that He cannot—believing that without ex- ma�er what I do.”
haus�ve control, God would be limited and there-
fore not divine. This ar�cle explores the alterna�- 2. Spiritual anxiety — “What if I choose wrong and
ve: that divine sovereignty and human agency are ruin God’s plan?”

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