Page 95 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5
P. 95
Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology
nes, such as meditation, prayer, and recognizing foundation for scientific or scholarly informa-
God’s presence in the midst of grief, strengthen tion, such as the stages of grief, to be included
individuals during times of suffering. The ma- in the conceptualization of the grief construct.
jority of these ideas should be generated by the This method encourages the therapist to make
therapist’s evangelical tradition, including mat- meaningful connections between their faith
ters of spiritual formation. The process lays the and the field of counseling and psychology.
Figure 1. Christ-Centered Pedagogy Model
Pedagogic model adapted from “Christian Faith and the Academic Enterprise,” by P. I. Mitchell, 2006,
Unpublished manuscript. Dallas Baptist University. Reprinted with permission.
Liturgical
Life
Spiritual Biblical Church Scientific
Disciplines Revelation Tradition Knowledge
Doctrine &
Theology
Shifting Focus
Yet another significant area of the Christian If, in fact, the task is to honor and worship God,
worldview that directly pertains to professional then this principle should permeate every area
life is recognizing that all Christian work should of the professional life (Campbell, 2007). All
serve as a means of bringing God glory. Jones reading, research, writing, and conversations
(2009) eloquently urges Christian students to should be done in an attitude of worship and a
honor God with their work: desire to learn more about God’s truth (Jones,
2009). When therapists conform to the image of
The implication of the call for [professio- Christ, He becomes the plumb line for all mo-
nals] is that all their work should be seen as ral, ethical, and character matters (Gringrich &
a means of glorifying God. [Counseling] be- Worthington, 2007). Counseling, then, beco-
comes a form of worship, obedience, and a mes a matter of the heart.
means of seeking the will of God. Everything
is secondary to the primary purpose of lo-
ving God first and thy neighbor as thyself (p.
2).
095
