Page 212 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Forum

Contributions by Charles Zeiders and Dana Wicker (USA)
“What Role should Play the Interpretations of Dreams in

a Christian Psychology?”

Dana Wicker (USA) Dana Wicker (USA)
The Role of Dream interpretation PhD, Licensed Psycho-

in Christian Psychology logist, is an Associate
Professor of Psychology
and Counseling at Dal-
las Baptist University,
“What role should dream interpretation play in Dallas Texas. She also
Christian Psychology?” is an interesting que- provides counseling at
stion that has not been discussed much among Impact Counseling and
American Christian Psychologists. Dream Guidance Center, Ar-
interpretation is a technique used mainly by lington, Texas.
Christian psychologists who come from a psy- dana@dbu.edu
chodynamic perspective but the rational for its
use from a Christian perspective is not usually Jeremiah warned against prophets who prophe-
discussed. To determine the appropriateness of sy false dreams (Jer. 23: 25-32). God gave the
dream interpretation as a Christian intervention Israelites two test to determine if a prophecy
one must begin by looking at what the Bible has was from God. The first is that a prophecy from
to say regarding dreams. There are close to 120 God will always be accurate (Deut. 18:22). And
references to dreams and 14 specific dreams de- the second is a prophecy will be consistent with
scribed in the Old Testament, while in the New previously revealed truth (Deut. 13:1-4). These
Testament, only the book of Matthew makes tests can also be applied to determine if a dream
reference to specific dreams. Five of those is from God.
dreams are mentioned in the first two chapters
and highlight the divine protection and care for While the Bible speaks of God communicating
the baby Jesus. (Tyndale Bible Dictionary) The through dreams during Biblical times does God
New Testament does describe visions such as still use dreams? This question can be answered
the vision Peter received before going to Corne- by asking missionaries who work with people
lius (Acts 10:9-15) and Paul’s Macedonian call groups who have little opportunity to hear the
(Acts 16:9). Dreams were viewed in two ways gospel. Time after time these missionaries will
in the Old Testament, either a common experi- report that people were waiting for them becau-
ence that was transient (Job 20:8, Ps 73:20) and se they had a dream that someone was coming
meaningless (Eccl. 5:3, 7), or as a divine com- to tell them about Jesus. Nik Ripken who tra-
munication from God. The Israelites in contrast veled around the world to interview Christi-
to other cultures believed that only God was the ans regarding persecution of the church, tells
initiator of divine dreams and the source for in- the story of one man who because of a dream
terpretation. Both Joseph and Daniel gave God traveled a great distance to a specific street in a
credit for their interpretations of dreams. God city he had never been to before to meet a man
used dreams to make himself known to people who led him to Christ. Less dramatic but also
in a special way (Gen. 28:12), to warn and pro- evidence that God still communicates through
tect people (Gen. 20:3-7), to provide guidance dreams is the testimony of believers who were
(Gen. 31: 10-13) and to forewarn about perso- able to minister to others because God in a
nal (Gen. 37:5-20) and national future events dream directed them to someone in need. It is
(Gen chapters 40-41). important for the Christian therapist to realize

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