Page 127 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

The Society for Christian Psychology

What I Hope from the Society for Christian Psychology
Mark A. Tietjen

As a philosopher with seminary training, I am new to both the study
of psychology and Christian psychology as a distinctive discipline.
With this in mind, I would like to mention three expectations I have
for the SCP.

C. Stephen Evans concludes his 2004 book Kierkegaard’s Ethic of
Love by placing side by side a Kierkegaardian-derived Christian love
ethic with three naturalistic alternative ethical theories. I view this
activity of comparative ethics as a philosophical act of evangelism,
as the Christian view presented offers clear benefits when compared
with its secular rivals. Likewise, I would hope for Christian psycho- Mark A. Tietjen,
logy to engage in similar comparative work that makes the most of Ph.D., University of
the strengths of the Christian view of the human self and places tho- West Georgia, asso-
se features side-by-side secular alternatives. While it goes without ciate professor of phi-
saying that Christian alternatives to ethical or psychological views losophy and religion,
carry with them theistic assumptions many non-believers will reject, secretary-treasurer of
the Christian alternatives are nevertheless attractive and ought to be the Søren Kierkegaard
a central way by which Christian psychologists engage their non- Society. He holds an
Christian colleagues. M.Div and Th.M from
Princeton Theological
Second, I hope for further conversation between Christian psycho- Seminary and a Ph.D.
logy and the natural sciences. Constant advancements in fields like in philosophy from
cognitive science of religion and evolutionary biology offer clear Baylor University. He
challenges to Christian conceptions of human life and purpose, but is the author of Kier-
they also offer opportunities for the stretching and maturing of those kegaard, Communi-
viewpoints. The work of Kelly James Clark, Justin Barrett, and Jeffrey cation, and Virtue:
Schloss offer examples of deep engagement with recent discoveries Authorship as Edifica-
in science with the aim of edifying the body of Christ. tion (Indiana Univer-
sity Press, 2013). His
Finally, I hope for the Society to encourage further engagement with articles have appeared
the great tradition of Christian psychology that includes the likes of in a variety of jour-
Augustine, Aquinas, Kierkegaard, and Weil. Although psychology is nals and books, his
not the first thing that comes to mind when these names are men- specialization is Søren
tioned, each of these figures and a number of others speak at great Kierkegaard and, in
lengths about human personhood in light of Christ, and I believe particular, his relation
that regardless of those scientific advancements noted just above, to the classical virtue
many of their insights are timeless resources at the church’s dispo- tradition.
sal. Because of its relatively recent origins, modern psychology seems
less connected to its past (say, in Aristotle), but there is no reason for
Christians to feel this way about Christian psychology. Ours is a rich
tradition of reflection both upon God but also upon the lives God
has given us, his children.

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