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Psychological Science and Christian Faith

Insights and Enrichments from Constructive Dialogue

Malcolm A Jeeves author Thomas E Ludwig author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Templeton Foundation Press,U.S.

Published:25th Feb '19

Should be back in stock very soon

Psychological Science and Christian Faith cover

Is it possible to integrate scientific psychology with a Christian understanding of human nature? Are science and religion locked in an inevitable conflict, or is there an underlying harmony between these two sources of knowledge about humans? This book goes to the heart of the past and present dialogue between Christianity and psychology, comparing three models that have been used to describe the relationship between them.

Because Christianity and psychology deal with different levels of truth and speak vastly different languages, efforts to unify them often create more problems than they solve. What is needed is a better way to think about the relationship—an approach that does justice to the emerging insights from psychological science and biblical scholarship and that can enrich our understanding of both. In this volume, two accomplished psychologists show how this complementary dialogue can unfold, giving us a broader, deeper understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and our place in the cosmos.
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"A refreshing, balanced presentation of what is often a difficult intersection: science and religion. . . . Going beyond the conflict motif that places science and religion at odds, Jeeves and Ludwig explore various avenues of perception and relationship, including concordism, integrative approaches, complementary perspectives, and mutual insight and enrichment between psychology and theology. One important chapter on social psychology and faith is contributed by the prominent social psychologist David Myers, who argues that collaboration between advances in scientific research and biblical scholarship can mutually enrich our understanding of spirituality. This text is clearly written, well researched, and documented with a valuable list of references. The text is suitable for collections in Christianity and also psychology of religion collections. Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty and professionals." —Choice

“A stimulating analysis of the relationship between psychological science and theology. The authors advocate a complementary relationship in which each discipline can provide insights and enrichments for the other, and they illustrate this with forays into neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, and the psychology of emotion and morality. I’ve been a clinical practitioner and researcher for 45 years, and tried to live consistently a life of faith and a professional identity. I learned a lot from this read! My bet is that you will, too.” —Everett L. Worthington, Jr., PhD, author of Coming to Peace with Psychology (InterVaristy Press)
 
 “A scintillating engagement with one of the most important dialogues of our time. Highly recommended.” —Alister McGrath, DPhil, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, University of Oxford
 
 “This spirited and clearly written book argues that scientific psychology and Christian theology can provide complementary accounts of the human person. The authors are distinguished scientists who show how our understanding of humans is greatly enriched by seeing them as physically embodied creatures, but they reject reductionist accounts that see us only as products of mechanistic ‘bottom-up’ processes.” —C. Stephen Evans, PhD, professor of philosophy and humanities, Baylor University
 
“A comprehensive and very welcome exploration of the relationship between faith and psychology. Based on a lifetime's experience and up-to-date research, the book offers a map for mutually enriching interdisciplinary conversations between science and Christian theology.”  —Joanna Collicutt, PhD, Karl Jaspers Lecturer in Psychology and Spirituality, Ripon College Cuddesdon 

ISBN: 9781599475653

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 23mm

Weight: 513g

272 pages