Page 108 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology alive

impossibility” (Kaufman, 1974; Watson, 2014). Laura Vander
When modern philosophers began to realize Velden (PhD
that their rationalist truth claims were in fact no (cand.), MA,
different than any of the earlier authority claims BRE) is an
of religious or ideological truth claims in the alumni of
sense that they are all ultimately based upon the Providence
same breed of unverifiable subjective assumpti- Theological
ons about reality, modern philosophy began a S emin a r y
slow process of implosion, and it has in some (MA in Theo-
measure been replaced by the radical critiques logical Stu-
which began its downfall. These critiques have dies 2009), as
often been identified as “post-modern” philo- well as a con-
sophy; the once proud and optimistic spirit of tinuing student in the MA Counseling
modernity has fallen, and its replacement thus degree at PTS. Although her home base
far has been the skeptical and deconstructive is in Calgary, Alberta, she is also current-
spirit of postmodernity. ly writing a dissertation for her Ph.D in
Many have felt threatened by the loss of certain- Theology at Wycliffe College (University
ty and security that came with the fall of moder- of Toronto). Her research is primarily in
nity, and they have also balked at the advent of the area of theological method, and her
postmodern deconstructionism, partly because intent in both theology and psychology
it is notoriously suspicious of any truth system to teach, research, and counsel with an
and can easily lead towards nihilism. However, awareness not only of the complexity of
while postmodern critiques are highly dama- human creatures, but also the complexi-
ging to modern thought, they have unexpected- ty of cultural development and its impact
ly allowed for a unique re-opening of space for on individuals and communities.
metaphysical thinking and theology; the benefit
of deconstructing modern foundationalism and
recognizing the epistemological limitations of titude of observable rationalities governing the
human finitude is that we all, as limited beings, social world in different contexts. Thus, simi-
must choose and commit to a worldview based lar to the biblical story about the multiplicity
ultimately upon faith and not empirical certain- of languages at Babel, we have in the postmo-
ty. The implications of this are significant, and dern age a multiplicity of rationalities. Howe-
while Christian theology has struggled for cen- ver, while this provides space for the Christian
turies, attempting to claim space for itself in an worldview, it results in great difficulty as various
increasingly secular culture which highly favors “rationalities” inevitably interact with and relate
empirical objectivity, the advent of postmodern to one another. With no queen bee to govern
philosophy and its unveiling of ineradicable hu- our claims, the challenge of communicating
man subjectivity means that the potential, if not between rationalities is substantial; the result of
the actuality, of space for metaphysics and theo- multiple rationalities in one culture could easily
logy has been found again. As Watson notes result in a ghettoizing of many small sub-cultu-
in his article, since the myth of a superior and res, including multiple Christian sub-cultures.
objective reason has been dismantled, it can However, Watson suggests the possibility of
no longer effectively dismantle Christian truth a creative solution. The import of his willing-
claims in the way it once thought itself capable ness to engage in inter-disciplinary discussion
(Watson, 2014). is shown here, since he suggests that perhaps
Both Christian theologians and Christian psy- the empirical research of psychologists has the
chologists may benefit from this turn, if we are potential to be one of many bridges between
wise in our efforts. A universal objective re- the gaps of various rationalities. For examp-
ason may not exist, but it has tentatively been le, empirical psychological research may have
replaced with the notion that there are a mul- something to say that would assist in substan-

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