A Review of Entwistle’s Text:
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity
Liberty University Online
A Review of Entwistle’s Text:
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity
Summary
In the book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity by David N. Entwistle (2010), he examines the correlation between theology and psychology. He not only explores the relationship, he also breaks down how it is possible to integrate the two disciplines in practice. The first questions that are asked towards the reader are if theology and psychology are on opposing sides and if integration is even possible. Answering this question, he initially details the historical journey of the interaction between the two disciplines. Entwistle (2012) notes that “If Christ lays claim to all of life, then the work of integration becomes not just feasible, but imperative, as we attempt to understand the essence of unity” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 16).
In order to integrate the two disciplines you have to survey the presuppositions and the worldviews not only of the individual but also of the two disciplines. Entwistle (2010) tells us that when we explore our worldview we have to look at the main areas of epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophical anthropology. Epistemology is described as the pursuit of intellectual virtue, metaphysics being the way a person thinks and responds to reality, and philosophical anthropology as a way to confirm assumptions about the behavior and nature of humans. (Entwistle, 2010).
With this in mind, Entwislte (2010) constructs five models of integration which explains how many people approach the relationship between psychology and theology. Entwistle (2010), details the models of integration as enemies, spies, colonialists, neutral parties, and allies. Enemies just don’t believe that integration is conceivable, they believe they are incompatible. Spies focus on either psychology or theology and take...