Page 173 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

Forum

Step 5: Stephen P. Greggo (USA)

A Conversation Already in Progress

What an honor to join this conversation as it moves around the world!
The question “what is a person?” may be more about implication than
definition. This is evident in the way that participants thus far are poin-
ting beyond culture and language to reference a unified portrait of a the- Rev. Stephen P.
istic reality. Greggo,
Psy. D. is a psycho-
My thanks to Andrey Lorgus for starting off the exchange by supplying logist and Profes-
its necessary gravitational stability. Defining a person is most certain- sor of Counseling,
ly a theological task. Psychology as a discipline makes observations, of- Trinity Evangelical
fers descriptions and ponders motivations. Accumulating such features Divinity School, De-
into a comprehensive whole falls short of actually exposing full human erfield, IL. His aca-
identity and status. The notion of ‘personhood’ emerges distinctly from demic interests are in
within Christian tradition. This theological worldview is built not only the connection bet-
on empirical discovery or rational examination but on revelation (divine ween counseling and
discourse). Human beings are God-like creatures who reflect the image Christian worldview,
of their Triune Creator (Gen 1:26-27). Persons are sacred, to be protec- assessment, group
ted and preserved, for God created humankind as his representatives on counseling, supervi-
earth (Gen 9:6). sion and raising up

the next generation of
Romuald Jaworski affirms and adds to this premise. He places the spot- Christian counselors.
light initially on the linguistic origin of the word ‘person’ as the voice Dr. Greggo served on
who speaks through a character to deliver a message. There is recogniti- the board of the Chri-
on that the sophisticated ability to communicate is a unique human dis- stian Association for
position. This brings to mind the Genesis account where God spoke to Psychological Studies
human persons made in his image. The dialogue, once begun, continues (CAPS) and chairs
even after the Fall (Gen 2:16-17; 3:8-19). The Lord God takes initiative to the Theology for
keep it going by pursuing Adam and Eve to inquire “Where are you; who Counseling and Pa-
told you; and what have you done?” Christianity recognizes that persons storal Care section of
are creatures designed to converse with their Creator. Jaworski moves the the Evangelical Theo-
conversation further by bringing in a personalistic perspective. There is logical Society (ETS).
acknowledgement that innate human strivings and acquired characteri-
stics become attributes that ultimately declare human dignity, morality, sgreggo@tiu.edu
holiness and transcendence.

Gladys K. Mwita speaks from her cultural background to present a holi-
stic and balanced view of a person as a single organism comprised of an
interlocked system. There is rare beauty in her collection of pithy African
proverbs. Such word pictures will not permit reducing a human person
to anything beneath a robust comprehensive combination of body, mind,
spirit, relationships, family, community and creation.

Karl Vollmer, the artist in this conversation thus far, leaves words behind,
but puts a powerful message on exhibit. This is fitting, for language surely

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