Page 118 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 24
P. 118
points: (1) an academic professor is the career with earning a degree in this field is to refine
that I’m actually called to, (2) it has to be in a and strengthen my work as a Chris�an psycho-
field that focuses on the study of humans, logist. My thought is that if a Chris�an psycho-
which for me was some combina�on of psycho- logist builds their psychology on a biblical and
logy, philosophy, and theology, and (3) I needed theological founda�on, then if I have advanced
to go to graduate school to get the creden�als training in psychological studies, I should have
needed to be a professor. commensurate training in biblical and theologi-
God consistently opened doors for me to con�- cal studies. My thesis for this degree is at the
nue my studies in the field of psychology and to intersec�on of psychology and theology focu-
pursue a professional career in academic psy- sing on how a Christological anthropology
chology, especially in my current posi�on as a affects and shapes a Chris�an approach to psy-
faculty member in the psychology department chology. Essen�ally, I am making a case for how
at Houston Chris�an University in Houston, Te- a Christ-centered view of humanity frames the
xas. way we psychologically study and understand
human nature and func�oning.
What was the focus of your study/training?
Why would you call yourself a Chris�an psy-
I have a bachelor’s in general psychology and a chologist?
master’s in research and experimental psycho-
logy. My background is primarily academic, fo- For me Chris�an psychology is a unique and dis-
cused on psychological research largely within �nct approach to psychology. I have always con-
the areas of social and personality psychology. sidered myself a “Chris�an psychologist” in the
Most of my research experience in these areas sense that I am a Chris�an who studies and
have focused on existen�al and social cogni�ve prac�ces psychology. As a Chris�an in secular
topics such as morality, religion, and worldview; psychology I did not ever consider there to be
my broadly considered experience has also in- an inherent conflict between psychology and
cluded topics such as culture, personality jud- Chris�anity, but I had to figure out how my stu-
gement, and social class. My master’s thesis dies and my faith fit together. What I ended up
was on people’s meta-accuracy in personality doing, which is quite common among Chris�-
percep�ons based on their personality trait le- ans educated in modern, secular psychology, is
vels within the five-factor model. Essen�ally, I trying to integrate my Chris�an views and faith
examined if certain personality traits predicted into my psychological knowledge and under-
how accurate people were at perceiving how standings. I had no awareness of the philo-
other people perceived their personality. sophical and worldview presupposi�ons under-
The en�rety of my experience as a professional lying modern psychology crea�ng the illusion
psychologist has been in the academy and hig- that the secular version of psychology is just
her educa�on. I would describe myself as pri- psychology.
marily a psychology teacher and researcher. It is
common for most people to think of psycholo- I had the blessed opportunity to meet and be-
gists as those who help and heal wounded and friend Eric Johnson, a prominent Chris�an psy-
disordered humans, with a central focus on chologist and career proponent of Chris�an
mental health. In contrast, I see psychologists psychology, during his tenure at Houston Chris-
such as myself as those who endeavor to un- �an University where he and I worked together.
derstand those who need help and healing; to Eric and I’s conversa�ons over that period crea-
understand the whole person. ted a paradigm shi� in my thinking about psy-
chology and its rela�onship with Chris�anity.
At the �me of wri�ng this ar�cle I am comple- He helped make explicit in my mind all the pre-
�ng my last semester of a master’s in theologi- supposed viewpoints and frameworks that do-
cal studies. Through this degree I have received minate secular psychology and a Chris�an ap-
training in biblical exegesis, theological inquiry, proach to the discipline is necessarily different.
hermeneu�cs, and spiritual forma�on. My goal I began to realize that “psychology” as a specific
118
