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Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology

References
al-Miskīn, M. (2003). Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Szasz, T. S., (1974/2003). The Myth of Mental Illness:
Way. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct. New York,
Freud, A. (1936/1993). The Ego and the Mechanisms of NY: Harper & Row.
Defence. (C. Baines, Trans.) London: Karnac Books. Yannaras, C. (1984/1996). The Freedom of Morality. (E.
Laing, R.D. (1967). The Politics of Experience and the Briere, Trans.) Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir‘s Seminary
Bird of Paradise. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin. Press.
Lungin, P. (Director). (2006). Ostrov (The Island) [Moti-
on Picture]. Russia.

Christian Psychology Beyond Secularism ched, so also when the mind [nous] is depra-
Though we may have encountered it first within ved, your life will be filled with countless evils”
the context of Christian spirituality, on closer (Chrysostom, 2001, p. 142).
examination asceticism is a response to the uni- Second, it is also certainly the case that these
versal human problem of self-alienation, of that practices and virtues are not uniquely Chri-
loss of self that we have rightly come to asso- stian; they are found in a wide range of reli-
ciate with moral decay and psychopathology. gious traditions and, even if to a lesser degree,
This brings us to an interesting idea that can in non-religious systems of moral philosophy
serve as a suitable conclusion to these unfor- such as the Stocisim that figures prominently
tunately superficial reflections. In the pursuit in positive psychology (see Kristjánsson, 2013).
of a Christian psychology, why not simply ad- Especially for those interested in developing a
opt and adapt Christian asceticism in much the broadly applicable approach to psychology con-
same way that positive psychology has taken sonant with the Christian tradition, asceticism
over classical moral philosophy in the pursuit offers a rich source of insight into not only pa-
of “authentic happiness” (for example, Selig- thology but healthy, and even optimal, human
man, 2002)? While this is a tempting notion, it functioning.
is something I think we should dismiss. Before Third and finally, we ought not lightly to dismiss
I say why I think this, let me offer some reasons the convergence of ascetical practices. Such an
in support of such an adaption. overlap is a powerful, if insufficient, basis for a
First, certainly asceticism has a palliative di- general, and maybe even universal, science of
mension; there is comfort in prayer, for examp- human thought and action. It likewise suggests,
le. It also can rightly be seen as a (psycho-) the- though again not definitively, that conversati-
rapeutic response to human suffering; there is ons about human nature are not idle metaphy-
real emotional healing that can come from the sical speculation but can be grounded in empi-
discipline of the spiritual life not unlike what we rical observation. This in turn allows those who
find in secular forms of psychotherapy (Cook, are interested in doing so to make the kind of
2011 and Trader, 2011). That the ascetical prac- moral arguments within psychology that often
tices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving as well as remain only implicit (see for example, Erikson,
the virtues of poverty, chastity, obedience and 1976; London, 1964; van Kaam, 1966).
stability have a pallative, and even therapeutic, A the same time, the convergence between the
effect should not be suprising since the ascetical Christian ascetical tradition and other religious
life has as its aim the healing of the damage sin and non-religious traditions of care should not
has done to the human heart (nous). Commen- cause us to overlook, as G. K. Chesterton says,
ting on the consequences of a heart darkened that while “almost every great religion on earth
and made insensitive by sin, St John Chryso- works with the same external methods, with
stom observes that “just as when the eyes are priests, scriptures, altars, sworn brotherhoods,
blinded, some of the other ability of the other special feasts” and even “agree in the mode of
members is diminished, their light being quen- teaching … they differ about is the thing to be

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