Integration Review Essay

l. Abstract. After listing author, publisher, and date summarize what you have read as if you were the author boiling down the book into 500-750 tight words. Prove that you comprehend the readings by writing a no nonsense summary. The abstract is not a commentary or listing of topics, but rather a gut-deep insightful `precis` of the longer more elaborate book. Abstract equals boil down David Entwistle, Wipf & Stock Publishers, August 2004. Perhaps one of the widely used reference-textbooks in undergraduate and graduate levels throughout the United States, the Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity tackles hard questions that plague many Christians and Mental Health Practitioners concerning the role of Psychology in today’s modern and largely Un-Christian world. The book presupposes on what Science and Christianity have in common. Eliminating the arguments on either side to a unified whole and working on it with the eyes of a surgeon, the logic of a philosopher-lawyer, the questioning stance of a scientist, and the heart beliefs of a Christian psychologist, Dr. Entwistle succinctly and ably placed almost all the puzzles in place regarding what is usually regarded as equally competing views on humanity. There is a need for integration; not only for its theoretical applicability but also for its practical usefulness. One of the premises that cannot be argued away at the outset is that the Bible is the only authoritative source for faith and practice. Here, both Christianity, for which it must, and psychology at the basic level must agree. Mainstream psychology or science generally, as we know, does not know that, much more recognize the Bible as authority or as absolute standard. This premise is true for all instances, and the author carefully was able to establish this in his treatise. No doubt as to his grasp of the doctrines contained in the Scriptures that are sufficient to life and its sustenance. Starting with differentiating that which is wholly a biblical worldview and vigilantly avoiding the â€Å"roadblocks† that the readers might mistake as something else other than the essentials of Christian beliefs, the author nudges in graduated measures to a clearer understanding of where he intends his reader to reach: which is the integration of these two distinct paradigms. For the author, looking at psychology and/or human behavior and its complexities as a faithful Christian, human individuals are understood as well as coined by different terminologies other than their biblical counterparts. To arrive to a common understanding of the fundamentals of Christianity and to relate that to social science is not an impossible task at all despite the â€Å"wide chasm† that had been erected by certain schools of thoughts coming from either side. Presuppositions or philosophical conceptualizations are the pillars of any worldview, and to successfully establish a new one requires that changes or reinforcements be made at this plane. The integrative approaches were framed at this level so as to remove mental oppositions as they arise every time in one’s thoughts. When this is not adequately laid down, no audience can align their thoughts or understanding with what the author (i. e. , David Entwistle) tries to convey. According to the author, social science and the basic principles of the Bible do not antagonize scientific findings, in most occasions. They do not come in conflict with each other in most of the ideals. For instance, the psyche or soul and its make up; rather science in a way confirms (as if it needs confirmation) what the Bible long declares. The issue then is not accepting a secular psychology nor accepting a liberal theology; rather it is the accepting of psychology as a discipline science. Narrowing it down, psychology simply tries to study the human mind and how it functions. The Christian mind is the focus of most of the New Testament doctrine and principles. Its sanctification and renewal is one of Christianity’s lifelong primary objectives; and it is definitely God’s objectives as well as declared clearly in the Scriptures. It is His will for the people’s lives to have their minds changed or renewed. In this standpoint, science very well is able to relate its findings with how the mind works and how man relates these workings in his milieu and/or community. Dr. Entwistle puts aside every seemingly combatant view against psychology in general, and against seemingly narrow Christianity as well; so as to remove doubts to the a feasible and possible integration of psychology and Christianity. Declaring pitfalls of immature faith and pop psychology which respectively, easily captivate enthusiasts and followers alike, the approaches that the author actually took was to set aside what competing worldviews were there and faithfully move to abide to the demands of the Scriptures at the same time embracing the plausible scientific evidences that are emerging in psychology and examining these in the light of a complete revelation of the message of the Scriptures.