Page 22 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

Christian Psychology as a Challenge

research and ensure that it was scientifically A. May: Christian psychology is informed by
sound. I am still to this day extremely thankful the bible and by psychological knowledge. Wor-
to my two promoters for their patience and tho- king for many years as a Christian psychologist,
rough work. can you share one or two main perspectives
from the bible that have become important to
As the research of literature on integration was you as a professional psychologist? And can
entirely my responsibility and nothing existed you do the same regarding psychological know-
in South Africa along these lines, I turned to ledge?
America and learned a great deal from the pio-
neers in this field. Worth mentioning is Dr Lar- N. Joubert: The first Biblical perspective
ry Crabb (I attended one of his lectures in 1988 that struck me as of critical importance and
and bought his publications at the time), Dr spurred the decision to practice explicitly from
Siang-Yang Tan (I visited him at Fuller Theo- a Biblically based approach was the Grace of
logical Seminary and received some of his ear- God. My realization of the immense depth of
ly papers on integration) God’s grace, completely
and a visit to Westmin- unfathomable, embodied
ster Theological Seminary in the ultimate expression
where I learnt more about of His Love for us, the
the Nouthetic approach sacrifice of His Son,
of Jay E. Adams. I pursu- changed my personal and
ed the work of many pio- professional life forever.
neers and researchers in I seize the power of His
this field during the time grace for every client I
that I worked on my PhD, walk with, which I entrust
which was mainly in the to God’s redeeming love.
late eighties till middle My hope is in God’s grace
nineties. I also attended when I pray for recovery,
the American Association freedom, and healing
of Christian Counsellors’ for clients. I trust the
conference in 1988 and omnipotence of God’s
found like-minded people Love more than anything
in that group. else.
All this enabled me to de-
velop a Biblically based 1 John 4:8
systemic therapy program “Whoever does not love
for a congregation, which does not know God, be-
I implemented for the em- ICP staff 2007 cause God is love.”
pirical part of my research.

The work of Prof Eric Johnson from the USA, The second principle that steers my Christian
further encouraged and inspired the develop- Psychology praxis is that Jesus Christ is the Al-
ment of an academic degree containing Chri- pha and the Omega of our total existence, in
stian Psychology modules that teach students this world and the world to come and without
how to relate Christian faith, psychology and Him we are lost.
psychotherapy. One specific article “Christ, The
Lord of Psychology” published in 1997 in the Revelation 22: 12 – 14: “Behold, I am coming
Journal of Psychology and Theology is worth quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render
mentioning as it never has lost its relevance. I to every man according to what he has done. I
have prescribed this article to my first year stu- am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the
dents since 2001 to help them understand that last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are tho-
as Christians, we pursue the knowledge and se who wash their robes, so that they may have
practice of psychology under the Lordship of the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the
Christ.
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