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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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