Modern Psychotherapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books) Hardcover – Box set, October 25, 2011

Modern Psychotherapies equips the reader with much-needed salve for those who dare to effectively engage an increasingly distressed modern society languishing in the public square with a relevant, but distinctively Christian product. The challenge for those commonly referred to as "physicians of the soul" is selecting from what leading experts in the field have identified as 260 distinct schools of psychotherapy. Many of which have drifted into obscurity, while others have been replaced by other unique approaches. I recently had an accomplished critic compare the pursuit of a Doctorate in Ministry (D.Min.), to that of a "real" doctor of medicine. I suspect that his careless and condescending appraisal was in respect to earned income and involuntarily exposed a materialistic value system. At the risk of responding defensively, since I too am pursuing such a degree, I quickly replied that a medical doctor offers temporary health at best; whereas "physicians of the soul" offer both temporary and the potential for eternal healing as lives are reconciled to their Creator, the ultimate cure-giver.Like so many others who claim the faith, in practice (orthopraxy) our day-to-day behavior is based more upon a value system fixed upon material things and human achievement. In essence, materialism denies the existence of the spiritual realm and posits that matter is all that matters. In other words, it's all about the stuff. In contrast, transformed biblical Christians, are challenged to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). In the great hall of faith, even Moses, the son of a Pharaoh, "...regarded humiliation for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward (Heb. 11). I digress, but you sense my passion in the matter and my concern for so many "cultural Christians" who wonder why our beloved country is slipping from our very hands. This defective cultural perspective is simply the product of centuries and the ongoing conflict between the material and immaterial and their counterparts, faith and knowledge (or science). Interestingly enough, the original mentality in the great universities of the world once held that theology was the "queen of the sciences," today; religion has been driven from, or to the periphery of most universities (cf. Marsden, 1994).Pastoral counseling and integrated psychotherapy deal with the unseen eternal souls of men with the end goal of restoring the created to the Creator. This is attained exclusively through forgiveness offered through the redemptive death of Jesus Christ. In the First Testament book of Isaiah, the long-awaited Jesus is referred to as a "Wonderful Counselor," who would later in His adult years ask the religious Pharisees, which is easier to say, "arise and walk, or your sins are forgiven?" The contrast was to distinguish the significance of the Divine Healer's authority to "really" address the deepest need of humanity - sin.The careful integration of Psychology and Christianity continues to be a critical nexus of tension in religious circles. Since Psychology finds its origin in man-made models or systems of thought, many conservative Christians describe the field as "satanic," "secular," or "unredeemable." Others align behind Aquinas who once argued in agreement with his famous predecessor, Augustine, that "all truth is God's truth," and that essentially all truth meets at the top. As pointed out by the authors, "What thoughtful pastor or counselor would not want to use all available knowledge and techniques to make his or her people-helping as effective as possible?" Consequently, a primary thesis throughout Modern Psychotherapies is thinking Christianly about contemporary approaches to psychotherapy and counseling. Greidanus (1982) argues that the task of the Christian scholar is "...to study reality in the light of biblical revelation." The authors further clarifies that, "...the task of integration is that of being distinctively Christian in an appropriate and responsible fashion in one's scholarly pursuits." It is recognized that although the Bible contains God-inspired revelation, infallible, and authoritative, it is nevertheless limited in scope. For instance, Scripture doesn't address the labyrinth of bioethical dilemmas facing society today.The authors rightly argue that, "Christians are seduced into lowering their guard and being lulled into a secular mindset where faith is neither good nor bad, true nor false, but simply irrelevant." In previous theological studies involving cultural trends within the Southern Baptist Church (SBC) nationwide, survey results of over 300 pastors suggested that the personal interaction with society has led to cultural adaptation. (cf. Kelly 2007). In other words, the church has taken on the characteristics of the secular world at the expense of maintaining "distinctively Christian" values. The relentless pursuit of culture in what many believe is necessary to be relevant. The various stages of relationship between the church and culture, or society can be categorized as a result of this dilemma. According to sociologist, Peter Berger, the church must take one of three stances in response to this challenge: 1) Cognitive and cultural resistance (e.g., monasticism, Amish, Mennonites); 2) Cognitive and cultural negotiations consistent with, "... not conformed ... but transformed by the renewing of mind."; and, 3) Cognitive and cultural adaptation. Of the three models, I believe door number "2" is closer to a Christian view of identity and freedom "in Christ." Os Guinness, Christian apologist and philosopher rebrands this approach in his writings as "engaging culture" but maintaining a "distinctively Christian" posture. This is in keeping with a "salt" and "light" mentality referenced in the New Testament writings.I am increasingly convinced that our identity in Christ is a worthy goal in our interactions with those seeking mental health and congruence within this bipolar jungle we call home. The Christian view of death to self and life in Christ has significant implications in our relationship to the battles within and without. There is safety in Him in the present, and throughout all eternity. The fundamental problem facing humanity is sin - both personal behavior that damages self and others and the exponential consequences on a global basis. The good news of the Gospel emphasizes the eternal yearning that rests in the heart of mankind for reconciliation with God and others. This is the timeless decree of our Creator, "...to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 22). Jesus said He came so that we could "have life, and that [we] may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b). Ultimately, mental health and stability can only be found in a person - Jesus. Modern Psychotherapies will help direct those passionate about helping people find ultimate rest for their weary souls in need of a Savior.

Excellent , informative and balanced Christian perspective on personalities. Excellent read, probably my favorite textbook on the subject.

I need to have the information on how to return my items.

As a part of my PhD studies, I waded through this book. While it was filled with many models and a great deal of helpful information, it was quite the burden to read. There was too much *unnecessary* detail, and a considerable number of each of the chapters could've been summarized in a far more concise manner, with a concise example that pertain to the model. From a "help me understand a given model & its implications" standpoint - there is absolutely better, more concise resources available to give you the information that you desire to know.Further, and slightly off topic, but still rang true as I read this, it seemed like this would've been better served as a part of a masters degree as opposed to PhD study. This book could've been the sole course curriculum for an entire study on various systems.Overall, I agree with the authors conclusion about both Christian counseling and secular psychology. There needs to be a greater conversation about how we treat both body and soul. Christians need to remember that God simply didn't create bodies as meat suits for our souls to inhabit, but they are all part of a holistic worldview that God built as a part of what it means to be human. And God Himself inhabited one of these. But the arduous road the authors took to bring us to that end-point / conclusion was far too unnecessarily labor-intensive for the pay off they delivered (which was fairly common sense as the established the base of the points in chapter 2 of 12).

This is a vital book for Christian counselors wanting to know how a particular psycho theoretical view jives with Christianity. The authors are thorough in their assessment and do well to point out consistencies and inconsistencies between each theory and Biblical truths. I’m well versed in the scriptures and saw no inconsistencies. I gave them four stars because it’s wordy and can be difficult to read... especially if you have not already learned about the theory they are discussing.

I am a student in a Master of Arts Counseling program and stumbled upon this book in a desperate search for a scriptural based appraisal of the various psychotherapies. This book aptly met all of my needs. It is highly intellectual, parsimonious, and easy to read. It provides insight into theories such as CBT, Psychodynamic, and Person-Centered approaches, to name a few, from a biblical stance. Modern Psychotherapies provides appraisal in such a way that highlights the positive and negative aspects of each theory, both in terms of efficacy and congruence with scripture. The amount of insight I have gained from this cannot be overstated. On a side note, the quality of the book is very high (both in terms of look and feel).Whether your are a Christian or not, this book provides a wealth of insight and information on the many theories of psychotherapy with adequate support from a vast amount of research, and does so eloquently. It also provides a great source of reference to use in writing papers for courses. I would highly recommend for anyone even remotely considering this purchase.