Page 87 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology

F. Andrey Lorgus (Russia)
Comment

to „The Challenge of the “Fool for Christ”“

Chaplain Gregory Jensen defines actually the covering the sin, as a therapeutic strategy. That
most complicated problem – understanding is to say, therapeutic presentation of mental un-
the phenomena of “foolishness in Christ” in the derground.
psychological paradigm.
A psychologist or psychotherapist is interested
This approach gives us the opportunity to see, in the inner mental process, the psychological
if only it is achievable, what intrinsic acts of mechanism of “foolishness”. However, the au-
consciousness, will and mind are lying behind thor raises the question differently: what moral,
the choice of the feat of “foolishness in Christ”, spiritual and religious message is delivered by
what kind of personality changes take place in the “fool in Christ” to his neighbor and society
the people choosing that way of “foolishness”, as a whole, what is the impact of the “fools in
and how these changes effect human behavior, Christ” on the society and the Church in which
including social. they live. From this point of view - an article by
Father Gregory presents a new step to the psy-
For Chaplain Gregory, opening the inner side chological picture of Christianity.
of the soul seems significant, and primarily dis-

Andrey Lorgus (Russia) a Priest of the Russian Or-
thodox Church, theologian, anthropologist, psycho-
logist and counselor, Rector of the Institute of Chri-
stian Psychology in Moscow.

Articles by F. Andrey Lorgus you can see here:
Journal 3 on page 34, 62, 142

Comment

to „Orthodox Ascetical-Liturgical Spirituality:
A Challenge for Christian Psychology

In the article, Father Gregory Jensen defines a special type of problem: a fundamental problem
problem of correlation between Orthodox as- of competence. The psychologist cannot take
ceticism and psychological practice. The need his identity out of the context of his activities.
for this is really felt by every specialist with an Personal identity in psychotherapy is not just a
honest approach to the scientific and spiritual condition, but a „tool“ of therapy.
meaning of his practice.
It is generally recognized that the therapist can
In psychology, especially in psychotherapy, the not be successful if he has not undergone his
personal dignity and personal worldview of own therapy, even if only to discover and realize
both scientist and practical psychologist is a his own problems, or personal dispositions, or

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