Date of Award

1988

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Counseling

First Advisor

Nancy C. Higgins

Second Advisor

Susan A. Myers

Third Advisor

Randi Wilson

Abstract

Counseling psychology advocates a position of neutrality where religious issues are concerned. This position appears benign at first glance, but upon closer examination we find that psychology has been strongly influenced by modern humanistic thought. In his book Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship, Paul Vitz (1977) states, "Psychology has become as religion, in particular, a form of secular humanism based on the worship of self" (p. 9). Vitz alleges that humanistic psychology is being practiced as an anti-Christian religion.

Christian mental health and pastoral care providers need to be alert to the infiltration of humanistic thought into psychological theory and practice. Logic argues that this humanistic influence contaminates the advocated neutral position of psychology.

Many of the possible benefits of psychological theory and practice are negated for the Christian because of their subtle integration with humanistic philosophy. For the past thirty years different Christian thinkers have attempted to integrate Christian philosophy with psychology. At this time there is no formal Christian psychology anymore than there is a formal humanistic psychology. However, there is a growing body of material and information that will hopefully evolve into a formalized Christian psychology in the near future.

This culminating project is a contribution to the growing body of Christian psychological counseling material. It is an attempt to integrate psychological constructs with fundamental Christian practices and beliefs.

The purpose of this project was to develop material for churches and paraprofessional counselors to equip themselves and others with information that will enable them to better help others at a paraprofessional level. It is not an attempt to discredit the counseling profession or to suggest that highly trained counselors are unnecessary. It is an attempt to present psychological information for training lay people to do effective counseling.

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