Psychology and Spiritual Formation in Dialogue - (Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books) (Paperback)

About the Book

Can the phenomena of the human mind be separated from the practices of spiritual formation? Research into the nature of moral and spiritual change has revived in recent years in both the worlds of psychology and theology. Rooted in a year-long discussion held by Biola University's Center for Christian Thought (CCT), this volume bridges the gaps caused by professional specialization among psychology, theology, and philosophy.

Book Synopsis

Can the phenomena of the human mind be separated from the practices of spiritual formation--of growing to have the mind of Christ?Research into the nature of moral and spiritual change has revived in recent years in the worlds of psychology on one hand and theology and philosophy on the other. But psychology and spiritual formation draw upon distinct bodies of research and theory grounded in different methodologies, resulting in conversation that has suffered from a lack of interdisciplinary cross-pollination.Rooted in a year-long discussion held by Biola University's Center for Christian Thought (CCT), this volume bridges the gaps caused by professional specialization among psychology, theology, and philosophy. Each essay was forged out of an integrative discussion among theologians, psychologists, philosophers, New Testament scholars, educators, and pastors around the CCT seminar table. Topics that emerged included relational and developmental spirituality, moral virtue and judgment, and suffering and trauma.Psychology and Spiritual Formation in Dialogue speaks across disciplinary divides, fostering fruitful conversation for fresh insights into the nature and dynamics of personal spiritual change.Contributors include

• Justin L. Barrett, School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Earl D. Bland, Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University
• Ellen T. Charry, Princeton Seminary
• John H. Coe, Biola University
• Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis
• Stephen Evans, Baylor University
• Bruce Hindmarsh, Regent College, Vancouver
• Marie T. Hoffman, New York University
• James M. Houston, Regent College, Vancouver
• Steven J. Sandage, David R. Paine, and Jonathan Morgan, Boston University
• Siang Yang Tan, School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Brandon J. Griffin, and Caroline R. Lavelock, Virginia Commonwealth University

Edited by

• Thomas M. Crisp, professor of philosophy, Biola University
• Steve L. Porter, professor of theology, spiritual formation, and philosophy, Talbot School of Theology and Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University
• Gregg Ten Elshof, professor of philosophy, Biola University

Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

Review Quotes

"Psychology and Spiritual Formation in Dialogue is a fitting tribute to Dallas Willard and a very helpful exchange of ideas for which I feel certain he would be grateful. Dallas once said that the only way to divide the components of a person is with the chapter titles of a book. I wonder if it could also be said that the primary ways of dividing the disciplines of psychology and spiritual formation are through the use of departmental headings, licensure boards, and the timeline of focus. May this important work fan the flames of both Christian spiritual theology and psychology and diminish the effect of nonhelpful barriers and hidden assumptions."

About the Author

Steven L. Porter (PhD, University of Southern California) is professor of theology and philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and at Rosemead School of Psychology (Biola University). His areas of interest include spiritual formation, theological methodology, and philosophical theology. He is also scholar in residence at Biola's Center for Christian Thought. Porter is the author of Restoring the Foundations of Epistemic Justification and serves as the managing editor of the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. He has contributed articles to the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Faith and Philosophy, Philosophia Christi, Journal for Psychology and Theology, and Journal of Psychology and Christianity.

Thomas M. Crisp (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is professor of philosophy at Biola University. His areas of interest include metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical theology, and social ethics. He has published articles in Noûs, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Oxford Studies in Metaphysics, The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics, Analysis, Synthese, and The American Philosophical Quarterly, and is coeditor of Knowledge and Reality: Essays in Honor of Alvin Plantinga.

Gregg A. Ten Elshof (PhD, University of Southern California) is professor of philosophy at Biola University. His areas of interest include metaphysics, epistemology, modern philosophy, and Confucianism. His book, I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life won the Christianity Today 2009 Book Award for Christian Living. He is also author of Confucius for Christians. Elshof has published articles in Midwest Studies in Philosophy, The Modern Schoolman, Grazer Philosophische Studien, The Journal of Philosophical Research, International Studies in Philosophy, Philosophia Christi, and Christian Scholar's Review.