Science in Christian Perspective

PSYCHOLOGY
R. B. MARQUART, M.D.

From JASA 8 (December 1956): 20.

What Good Is Psychology?

Let us concede that the psychology of our present day world is not good for Christians. even though it has gleaned a few facts about human nature. us also insist that no psychology is any good unless it be used for the glory of God. What kind of psy chology would this be? We could well dispense with the id, superego, abreaction and all the modern termi nology which is used to explain away the Christ' experience, although the Christian should be informed of these things. We could use such terms as projection, rationalisation, and repression etc., because these mechanisms are described in Bible characters. Our psychology should be a Biblically oriented knowledge of human nature gleaned from Scripture. The Bible has an exact and definite terminology of its o wn, when rightly understood. We would also include the psy s chological changes which occur in human personality due to the quickening work of the Lord the Spirit.

A Biblical psychology could be envisioned in four phases as follows:
1. The Human Nature of Natural Man.
2. Human Nature in Initial Salvation.
3. The Deeper Life or Possessing our present sessions in Him.
4. Biblical Psychiatry.

Some question the need for a Biblical Psychi atry for Christians, but Christians do have neuroses and even insanity, although the more serious troubles are less frequently encountered in young Christians. Insanity is not the same as demonism, even though there be some overlapping. Those who say, "We are interested in the insane, because insanity is all d to sin", should drop to their knees and seek the Lord' will for our being here on earth. We who have se Christians who are insane know that we have a r problem here. Wm. Cowper had a form of insanity' which runs in families, but he was sane when he wrote "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.