Page 15 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology as a Challenge

On Christian Psychology:

An Interview with Russ

Kosits by Werner May

Russell D. Kosits,
Ph.D., is associate
Werner May: You are involved in the work of professor and
the Society for Christian Psychology and now chair of psycho-
you are taking on the role of executive editor logy at Redeemer
(academic/research) of Christian Psychology, University Colle-
the transdisciplinary journal. First, what does ge (Ancaster, On-
transdisciplinary mean and why do you think tario) and incoming executive editor (acade-
this is important for a Christian psychology? mic/research) of Christian Psychology: The
Transdisciplinary Journal. A general psycho-
Russ Kosits: It’s interesting you should ask -I logist with training in integration, social psy-
recently had an opportunity to attend a small chology, history of psychology, and theology,
meeting on this very topic. This “consultation he is still trying to recover from his native
on transdisciplinary scholarship” in Berrien dualism and unbelief and learn to live - and
Springs, Michigan, featured a diverse group of psychologize - as a Christian believer. He has
fantastically talented scholars and leaders, all of published on some of the historical, philo-
whom chimed in on the topic. One of the big sophical, and theological dimensions of this
takeaways for me is that the word “transdisci- struggle. He lives in Brantford, Ontario with
plinary” is less important than the idea. What his wife and three children. Current favorite
we’re after is scholarship that is deeply rooted pastime: playing Wiffle ball in the back yard
in Christian faith, Christian theology, and Chri- with the kids (where faith and life usually joy-
stian philosophy, all shaped by the “norming fully connect without effort).
norm,” i.e., the Holy Scriptures - a scholarship
where biblically-normed Christian theology
and philosophy are, as one speaker put it, “in
the driver’s seat,” and all of this nurtured by the as contemporary psychological science is - and
church. These are the roots and the soil of Chri- it is tremendously exciting - many of us long for
stian psychology--if we imagine Christian psy- something more whole, more deeply integrated
chology as a tree, it will flow organically out of than just modern psychology baptized with
this soil and these roots. Scripture. Eric Johnson’s notion of “maximal
integration” gets at this aspect of transdiscipli-
One of the major convictions of the Christian narity.
psychology movement, however, is that Chri-
stians in psychology have lost touch with their So again, the notion of transdisciplinarity re-
own indigenous psychology. Or, perhaps, if cognizes that if psychological thought is to be
they’ve not lost touch with their own psycholo- distinctively Christian - and distinctive Christi-
gy, they’ve compartmentalized it into a sort of an scholarship is what the Christian psychology
Sunday morning psychology. Those of us who movement is all about - we need to be rooted in
teach in psychology departments at Christian our own theology and philosophy. What I mean
universities, for example, often end up teaching is this: theological and philosophical assumpti-
modern psychologies, then add a dash of “Chri- ons pervade all scholarship (although they are
stian perspective” to season the soup. That’s not often implicit or invisible). We need to be aware
a very satisfying approach, in my experience. of the assumptions that are in play as we psy-
My students and colleagues often tell me - in chologize, and we need to take pains to ensure
various ways - that they sense this. As exciting that our theological and philosophical assump-

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