Biblical Principles in the Field of Psychology Essay

Biblical Principles in the Field of Psychology

Biblical Principles in Psychology

Subject Code

This question is still a subject of debate in the academia. One of the two definitions of psychology is through the biblical vantage point and thus using religious material to enrich it would be welcome in the broad sense that psychology finds a place in the biblical arena. Outside this consideration, psychology is generally considered as the subject interested in studying human and animal behavior. Nevertheless, the soul is a very important subject in the study of psychology. First off, psychology attempts to address issues such as the nature of human soul, explores the origin of a soul, and attempts to establish the purpose of man's soul and what might be at the final destiny of a soul.

Discussion

There have been mixed reactions to whether biblical principles should be used in the field of psychology. For instance, Whitley (2009), in his dissertation, vividly demonstrates that a biblical framework offers a good alternative for discerning and understanding whole or part of human behavior especially the developmental theory developed by Erik Erikson. Further, Whitley (2007) observes that the use of biblical principles in the field of psychology offers a better alternative for anyone pursuing discipleship to have a better framework to do it without reservations. In addition, it would seem that the relationship existing between theology and social-scientific research (where the humanist viewpoint of psychology majorly centers) would be well brought out if the biblical principles are also evoked into the field of psychology.

Wayne (2010) while assessing the appropriateness of using biblically inclined approach in psychology points out that it is important to assess the questions posed in psychology and see how both fields address them. For that matter, Wayne (Ibid) argues that since one major question posed by psychology relates to whether humans have a soul, logic demands that a human should indeed have one. While logic demands that human have a soul, the bible affirms that there is a soul in every human. Therefore, when the humanist approach to psychology would clump human behavior and animal together and call it psychology, there is a uniqueness that sets man apart from all other forms of life and cannot just be viewed as mere animals.

Now that there is a soul in human beings, the other question that a psychologist is interested in finding the answer to is the nature of this soul. In 2 Cor. 4:16 the bible talks of human beings possessing some inward human essence that is renewed day by day and those who believe in the bible as the word of God are bound to believe this. The soul is also used to mean the entire living…