Page 160 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

The Work and Thinking of David Benner

ways be neurotic. Sometimes it will be real, and both these types of problems. Alternativists
forgiveness and repentance will then be neces- are opposite to the dualists, claiming only one
sary. Pattison (1969) states that “the task of the basic type of problem but allowing for the two
psychotherapist, then, is not to assuage guilt separate roles in the treatment of this problem.
feelings, although that is often a necessary pre- Mental health professionals and clergy are
amble to successful therapy. Rather, the thera- viewed as equally valid, functionally equivalent
pist seeks to help the patient see himself and his alternative roles, both groups being appropria-
relationships with others in the light of how the tely in- volved in the treatment of the one basic
patient violates the relationships to which he is problem experienced by people. Finally, specia-
committed. . . . Patients would quite willingly lists argue that there are two discrete tasks and
settle for pacification of their superego, but they therefore there must be two roles. Ministers and
are reluctant to undergo the pain of changing therapists are, respectively, spiritual specialists
their pattern of relationships so that they no and psychological specialists, each dealing with
longer need to feel guilty” (pp. 106-107). one of the two basic types of problems.
When combined with other equally important All four of these positions are represented in the
biblical themes such as grace, the incarnati- contemporary Christian counseling literature.
on, and life after death, the concepts discussed The spiritual reductionist position is probably
above should be at the foundation of any theo- best represented by Adams (1977) and Bobgan
ry of personality that calls itself Christian. Ho- and Bobgan (1979). These authors argue that
wever, they are far from adequate as a comple- nonorganic psychological problems are really
te personality theory. While we therefore may mislabeled spiritual problems. The one person
conclude that the Scriptures should not be ex- equipped to provide help for such problems is
pected to yield a comprehensive system of the- the Christian who draws his mandate, goals,
rapy, it is clear that they contain perspectives on and techniques from the Bible and from this
persons that ought to be foundational for Chri- source alone. While this position has been well
stian therapy. received by many conservative Protestant pa-
stors, most Christian mental health professio-
Roles and Tasks nals have viewed It at providing an inadequate
The second possible basis for the uniqueness account of psychological functioning and t li-
of Christian therapy is the role and tasks of the mited understanding of the role of the therapist.
Christian therapist. In his sociological analy- This assumption of one basic type of problem
sis of psychiatry and religion, Klausner (1964) is shared by the alternativists. Benner (1979)
suggests four different ideological positions represents this position, arguing that all emo-
based on the differentiation of the task and role tional or psychological problems are at core
in counseling or psychotherapy: reductionist, both spiritual and psychological. Because of the
dualist, alternativist, and specialist. Reductio- fundamental unity of personality, depression
nists maintain that there is only one role and is as much an issue of spiritual significance as
one task. This is because there is only one type guilt li I matter of psychological significance.
of personal problem and only one type of per- The challenge is for the Christian therapist to
son equipped to address it. Material reductio- view people as spiritual beings regardless of
nists view this problem in scientific, psycholo- their religiosity and to be sensitive to spiritual
gical terms and see the person trained in this dimensions of their functioning. The challenge
system as the only one equipped to handle such to the minister is to similarly view a person as a
problems. Spiritual reductionists view the pro- psychospiritual unity and to resist the tenden-
blem in spiritual or religious terms and see the cy to either reduce psychological problems to
minister as the only one equipped to handle spiritual problems or to ignore psychological
such problems. problems since these are beyond their compe-
Dualists believe that there are both psychologi- tence. This is not to suggest that all ministers or
cal and spiritual problems. However, they also psychotherapists will be adequately equipped to
believe that one qualified person can address handle the broad range of problems encounte-

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