Page 110 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology

have learned from others how we can reflect on traditions, I would like to discover, as Eric John-
the three basic aspects - the creation in God’s son expressed it, the “biggest picture”. Church
image, the damage by the fall and the salvati- traditions are thus riches. But the riches should
on by Jesus – for Christian psychology. We have then find their continuation in joint efforts in
also learned that those are basic points for a psychological research to understand these spi-
Christian understanding, not as a narrow de- ritual and theological riches in everyday psy-
scription but forming a wide variety of human chological practice in the individual and social
life interactions. I would now say that we will worlds, which is of course the case in research
never be able to include the God-given richness on forgiveness (Soldan, Worthington, etc.).
in human beings into our limited Christian mo-
dels and that a main characteristic of Christi- Agnes:
an psychology is a psychologist who loves God
and his neighbour and therefore can first act out Doing so, the first question should not be: „Who
of relationship and use models as subordinate is right?”, but: “What can I learn and what do I
tools. want to do?” In the years of my Christian life, I
have become more and more relaxed meeting
Christians of different traditions (in reality or
Werner: in literature). To me, they (or most of them) are
not a threat but an expression of God’s abun-
I agree that the aspect of relationship is funda- dance. The variety makes me feel free to live my
mental for a Christian psychology – are there Christian life like one voice in a big choir: more
not also biblical “tools” here? If I see tools as similar to some than to others, in my personal
that which works 100 %, I have to answer my tone and difference, contributing to a many-
question with “no”. My experience is namely voiced harmony. There have been so many me-
that biblical “tools” only make sense when they lodies – why should I hide and not contribute
undergo substantial individual modifications my personal one?
and are Spirit-led. On the other hand, I would
like to say “yes” if, for example, I think of for-
giveness, one of the best-known biblical “tools”,
forgiveness for our sins and forgiving each other. References
Johnson L. Eric, Ed.(2010): Psychology & Christianity.
Here, returning to our starting point of church Five Views. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic

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