Page 107 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7
P. 107

Christian Psychology alive



             In  his  article  on  change  and  sanctification,   References
             Jones (2014), effectively demonstrates the need   Cozolino, L. (2010). The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy.
             for a Christian worldview to be a component of    New York City, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
                                                               Jones, C.E. (2014). The Roles of Automatic and Conscious
             conscious  choice  in  order  to  eventually  beco-  Thought in Worldview Consistency. The EMCAPP Jour-
             me instinctive. As Jones demonstrates the need    nal Christian Psychology Around the World, 5, 32- 39.
             for practice in order for a worldview to beco-    Siegel, D.J. (2012). The Developing Mind. New York City,
             me implicit, he brings forth the complexity of    NY: The Guilford Press.
             change  and  various  aspects  of  neurosciences   Carissa Muth, M.A., student Providence Theological Se-
                                                               minary.  Carissa’s research interests include self- differen-
             that help to understand why change is a process   tiation, identity, and boundaries.  She enjoys researching
             and not an immediate solution. With this, Jones   and developing applications for direct client treatment.
             also opens the door to further considering the
             neuroscience of change and, from a counselling
             psychology perspective, what additional factors
             might be necessary in order to expedite change
             and client’s healing. This to me is a most inspi-
             ring concept.






             Laura Vander Velden
             Response to “Babel of Rationalities: Christian

             Psychology, Incommensurability, and the Important Role

             of Empirical Research” by Paul J. Watson




             Dr. Paul J. Watson’s article, Babel of Rationali-  with the philosophy of modernity; while theo-
             ties: Christian Psychology, Incommensurability,   logy has struggled for centuries to come to grips
             and the Important Role of Empirical Research,     with modern philosophy and its disenchanting
             discusses  the  profound  influence  of  modern   effect on our culture, the field of psychology is
             and postmodern philosophy upon every disci-       much  younger  and  has  only  been  developed
             pline of study, with particular interest placed on   during the modern period, meaning that it is
             its implications for contemporary psychological   highly  influenced  by  and  even  founded  upon
             research. His eagerness to engage in this inter-  modern principles.
             disciplinary dialogue is noteworthy and com-       Historically, as Watson notes, the humanistic ra-
             mendable. As a student of both theology and       tionalism of modernity and the advances made
             psychology, my major research has much to do      in science have led to vast development in the
             with the development of philosophical and epi-    West, but large-scale violence has consistently
             stemological structures in the modern West. In    been  the  unfortunate  handmaiden  of  this  de-
             light of this, I found Dr. Watson’s article to be   velopment. It has been long acknowledged that
             stimulating and encouraging on multiple levels.   the supposed ‘objective’ strength of rationalist
             For my understanding of both psychology and       humanism is not only ineffective in preventing
             theology,  methodological  considerations  are    societal violence, but it is also unable to deliver
             paramount, since they are the basis upon which    the objective foundation for knowledge that it
             we build and develop every discipline, and they   promised. In Watson’s words, “achievement of a
             reflect  the  underlying  assumptions  we  have   truly objective social life could occur only with
             about the nature of reality. Both theology and    an infinite regress of justifications for all pro-
             psychology  have  become  deeply  intertwined     posed foundations, which of course is a logical


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