Psychology & Christianity Books

Parenting by the Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Your Child

John Rosemond

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Subjects -> Parenting & Families -> Parenting -> Babies & Toddlers -> Child Development
Subjects -> Parenting & Families -> Parenting -> General
Subjects -> Parenting & Families -> Parenting -> General AAS

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Total reviews: 59 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Picture respectful, responsible, obedient children who entertain themselves without television or video games, do their own homework, and have impeccable manners. A pie-in-the-sky fantasy? Not so, says family psychologist and bestselling author John Rosemond. Any parent who so desires can grow children who fit that description -- happy, emotionally healthy children who honor their parents and their families with good behavior and do their best in school.

In the 1960s, American parents stopped listening to their elders when it came to child rearing and began listening instead to professional experts. Since then, raising children has become fraught with anxiety, stress, and frustration. The solution, says John, lies in raising children according to biblical principles, the same principles that guided parents successfully for hundreds of years. They worked then, and they still work now!

Through his nationally syndicated newspaper column and eleven books, John has been helping families raise happy, well-behaved children for more than thirty years. In Parenting by The Book, which John describes as both a "mission and a ministry," he brings parents back to the uncomplicated basics. Herein fi nd practical, Bible-based advice that will help you be the parent you want to be, with children who will be, as the Bible promises, "a delight to your soul" (Pro. 29-17). As a bonus, John also promises to make you laugh along the way.

Lament for a Son

Nicholas Wolterstorff

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Death & Grief -> Grief & Bereavement
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wonderfu resource for those in pain 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book was recommended to me by a wonderful lady by the name of Mary who owns a bookstore in Sandwich, MA on the Cape. I was curious as to how it would fare due to how thin it was but I began reading it immediately. I could NOT put it down. I read it in one sitting as it's very easy to read due to it's journal style. Nicholas Wolterstorff is a master at writing about all the feelings one goes through after a loss. Feelings that leave you scratching your head and wondering how you arrived at them and yet mange to still function as part of society. Feelings that leave you numb and wounded from the heavy burden and pain. Feelings that if you wanted to capture you would struggle to form concise sentences from the sheer overwhelming nature of them. Nicholas manages all of the above and more. He will touch you with his heart-wrenching understanding of grief. I cried, I nodded my head, I marveled at just how much my pain was not only recognized but acknowledged and validated. My pain is still with me, you will never be rid of it nor should you want to be (a notion mentioned in the book) but I have a feeling of peace more so than before I read it. This peace I think comes from not being alone in my pain. And while I wouldn't wish the loss of a child on anyone, I'm so blessed to have had the chance to read Lament for a Son because it has allowed me to feel part of a community of mourners. A community where I am allowed to suffer and grieve, but also clearly be aware of why I suffer and that is because I LOVE. Sadly in the real world we are made to feel we must 'get over' our loss and as a result are outcast in society. Through his words Nicholas Wolterstorff shows just how much of a force death and grief affect the loved ones left on earth. This book is a gift for those in pain from loss and is also a gift for those who want to help family or friends but don't know what to say. My son was stillborn and while this loss is diffeent from losing a 25 year old child, it is still a loss that has forever changed me. Lament for a Son has helped me in my grief, and I hope it helps your pain too.

Editorial Review:

"Read this book with a sense of wonder, for you will visit in hushed silence in the cathedral where also dwells the Suffering Savior, the arena where a thoughtful man continues to referee the inner struggle between pain of death".-V. Gilbert Beers.

Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (AACC Library)

Mark R. McMinn

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Christianity -> Ministry & Church Leadership -> Ministry

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A must for therapists who seek to integrate spirituality 5 out of 5 stars.
56 of 59 people found this review helpful.

McMinn writes for the Christian professions, the religious, and the lay people. He also seeks to speak to those who are pursuing active integration of faith, psychology and theology. It is very refeshing reading as he discusses classic Christianity and its applicability to everyday problems. With the popular publication's sloppy "a little bit of this and a little bit of that" view of spirituality, McMinn presents a well thought out response. A must read for counselors, psychologist and psychiatrists.

Editorial Review:

The American Association of Christian Counselors and Tyndale House Publishers are committed to ministering to the spiritual needs of people. This book is part of the professional series that offers counselors the latest techniques, theory, and general information that is vital to their work. While many books have tried to integrate theology and psychology, this book takes another step and explores the importance of the spiritual disciplines in psychotherapy, helping counselors to integrate the biblical principles of forgiveness, redemption, restitution, prayer, and worship into their counseling techniques.

The Kingdom Within: The Inner Meaning of Jesus' Sayings

John A. Sanford

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Christianity -> Jesus -> General

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Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

By showing how Jesus' teachings relate to our inner depths, this book guides us toward a more conscious and creative life. The Kingdom Within explores the significance of Jesus' teachings for our interior life -- that inner reality that Jesus called "the kingdom of God." It is Sanford's conviction that contemporary Christianity has overlooked this inner dimension of Jesus' teachings and so has lost touch with the human soul.

Illustrated with case histories and dream material drawn from the author's work as a psychotherapist, The Kingdom Within examines such characteristics as extroversion and introversion, masculinity and femininity, thinking and feeling, and sensation and intuition to show how Jesus met the criteria of wholeness or fullness of personhood. Step by step, Sanford helps us to shed the outer mask, to eschew sin, which "means living in enslavement to what we don't know about ourselves," and to follow the road of consciousness, which leads to "a great treasure waiting only to be discovered."

Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian : Adult Development and Christian Faith

James W. Fowler

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Reconcilating Fowler's 'Faith' and Christian 'Faith' 2 out of 5 stars.
12 of 14 people found this review helpful.

Fowler's Faith Development Theory is commonly being used to describe Christian spiritual growth. Yet, when it was first formulated, Fowler described faith as `seeking meaning in our lives' and universal, thus not limited to Christianity. This theory, which arise out of Piaget's cognitive and Kohlberg's moral development theories are descriptive and did not take into consideration the supernatural/spiritual.

This book was Fowler's attempt to reconcile his development theory to the Christian theological concept of salvation and sanctification. His approach to integrate this is by the concept of vocation which `is the response a person makes with his or her total self to the address of God and to the calling to partnership'. He defined this partnership as synergy between the human potential and the work of the Spirit which he called `grace'. Fowler defined blockage to this synergy as sin and unblocking this synergy as salvation. The aim of this partnership is `in God's work in the world' which Fowler elaborated as partnership with God the Creator, with the governing action of God and in the liberative and redemptive action of God. However, what Fowler was describing are a series of behavioural pattern. Any description of spiritual growth must include a new creation, inner transformation and fruit of the Holy Spirit. One needs to differentiate between descriptors and contents.

Fowler then went on to describe vocation, relationship of vocation and Christian communities and the Christian story. While I agree that our vocation is a call by God for His purpose, I do wish Fowler had explained how the different stages of his theory can be directly linked to the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, justification by faith and the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us into Christian maturity (Christ-likeness). In the final chapter, he did try again to integrate spiritual maturity and development theories but surprisingly, he used Levinson's seasons of life theory instead of his own. In the end, Fowler did not give a clear picture of the integration of his faith development theory and theology.

Editorial Review:

In this updated reissue of his 1984 classic, James Fowler applies his groundbreaking research on the development of faith to Christianity. In his revised first chapter Fowler locates his approach to the study of human and faith development in relation to the contemporary conversation about identity and selfhood in postmodernity. Fowler invites readers to explore what it means to find and claim vocation: a purpose for one's life that is part of the purposes of God. Reclaiming covenant and vocation as ideals for responsible, mature, Christian selfhood, Fowler shows how a dynamic understanding of what vocation involves can both inform and transform lives.

Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership: The Paradox of Personal Dysfunction

Gary L. McIntosh, Samuel D.Sr. Rima

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Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Why Do Christian Leaders So Often Fall, and Fall Hard? 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

In the light of the many failures and downfalls of Christian leaders, this book examines what may be the cause of many of these downfalls. The failures of Christian leaders have actually put many barriers between the general public and the savior. The cause of Christ is losing ground if Christians cannot stop this alarming trend. The first step in overcoming these problems in Christian leadership is to first recognize the problem, and this book labels the problem the `dark side'. This obviously represents the defeated sinful nature inside every believer, but it also represents the different traumatic experiences that the sinful nature can use in our lives. The author argues that the ability to `overcome' the dark side is much more important than the managerial or leadership skills that are so often espoused in contemporary leadership thought.

The book does an excellent job of showing the painful reality of victory that leaders' dark sides have accomplished over many Christian leaders. The dark sides of these leaders do not develop and appear over night, but downfalls of Christian leaders happen slowly, often so subtlety that the leaders often are blind to the development. A lot of psychology is used to explain how the different types of `dark sides' develop and control leaders. And self-tests available in the book are helpful to discover if you personally may be susceptible to one of the different types of `dark sides'.

The last part of the book is the most helpful, showing HOW to overcome the dark side of leadership. Five helpful steps are provided for leaders to follow in order to prevent the dark side from gaining control. First, the leader must recognize the dark side. Second, the leader must examine his or her past. Third, the leader must resist unrealistic expectations. Fourth, the leader must be continually feeding himself or herself and checking himself or herself. And finally, the leader must have a strong sense of self-identity in Christ. I believe these are very helpful and a chapter is devoted to each of these steps.

The book is written very well, and especially helpful are the numerous examples and illustrations (including the lives of the authors). The book does a great job of showing the urgency of this issue, but it doesn't stop there. A well thought `remedy' is given for overcoming the dark side, and it isn't an easy fix that you find in many self-improvement books. I believe any Christian leader would do well to read this book and apply it to his or her life.

I have always recognized the existence of my dark side, but I have never understood the complexity of it. Although I had a hard time placing myself into one of the four types of the dark side given in the book, I could see things that I could possibly be susceptible to and I also saw things that I have actually experienced in the past as a result of my dark side.

Especially helpful were the five steps at the end of the book. I believe these steps are founded upon biblical principles, and they are very simple, but it is amazing how hard it is for Christians (and leaders specifically) to apply these truths. I learned that more accountability would be helpful in my life. I was also reminded that having a firm, continual acceptance of my identity in Christ is vitally important. So many problems from the dark side come from insecurity issues and issues with our relationships, but if the Christian leader understands his identity and security in Christ and also that this relationship is the most important relationship that can possibly be cultivated, these problems can be avoided. This leadership was a great encouragement to me.

Editorial Review:

Gary McIntosh and Samuel Rima look at the flip side of leadership and identify those darker seductions that can undermine good intentions. The authors believe that identifying one's dark side is the key to avoiding the pitfalls that threaten leadership.

Psychology & Christianity : With Contributions by Gary R. Collins ... Et Al

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Psychology has exploded across the academic and popular landscape in the last hundred years. Dozens of schools of thought have arisen and thousands of books have been written on the nature of our personalities, our development, our relationships and our inner well-being.

All of this has been of interest (and sometimes of concern) to Christians because of the importance we place on a correct understanding of human nature. Psychology often seems disconnected from, if not antithetical to, Christian perspectives on life. How do we relate our cherished Christian beliefs about persons to what secular versions of psychology tell us?

In this book are gathered four models of the relationship of psychology and Christianity. David Powlison (Westminster Theological Seminary) offers the biblical counseling model. The levels-of-explanation model is advanced by David G. Myers (Hope College), while Gary Collins (former executive director of American Association of Christian Counselors) introduces the integration model. The Christian psychology model is put forth by Robert C. Roberts (Baylor University).

Each of the contributors responds to the other essayists, noting points of agreement as well as problems they see. The editors also provide an introduction to the history of Christians and psychology as well as a conclusion that considers what might bind the four views together and how a reader might evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of each view.

Urgings of the Heart: A Spirituality of Integration

Wilkie Au, Noreen Cannon

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

AWESOME!!!!! INSIGHTFUL!!!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.

The day of Easter Vigil, before confirmation, we were required to spend 4 hours of prayer time by ourselfs. We could go anywhere on the grounds. I did a little snooping and found a priest's office that had a bookshelf. Here was Urgings of the Heart sitting on the shelf. I took it down and began to read. This book is so awesome. I went out and bought it myself. I'm on the last chapter, but, it's so good and gives good insight on myself (the side I normally and typically dislike) as well as those qualities in others that are unlikeable, however, able to be delt with issues and qualities. As I'm reading this book, I'm like WOW!!!! That is me, I never realized it. People tend to hate themselfes for whom they are or whom they think they are. They try and avoid it, but, this books gives you and understanding of how to handle those areas about oneself that is undesirable and how it can be beneficial to ones personal growth.

The bottom line is, the book is really good. I've enjoyed it and highlighted a lot of it. I've learned a lot about my fiance too. She fits a lot of the descriptions of the "shadow" as it is described in the book.

I also got the book called "By Way of the Heart" by Wilkie Au.

Editorial Review:

Using stories and images, the authors blend the best of spirituality and psychology to help the reader live in peace with self, others and God.

Modern Psychotherapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal

Stanton Jones, Richard Butman

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Psychology & Counseling -> Psychotherapy, TA & NLP
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Combines scholarly discussion with Biblical insights 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 22 people found this review helpful.

I have just completed my classes for a doctorate in counseling psychology and have had dozens of books assigned as texts over the years. To be honest, most of them sit in one of my "backroom" bookcases. This book is one of the exceptions.

This work covers the major theories of pscyhotherapy and makes you feel like someone who has a firm grasp of them when you read it. The review from a Biblical viewpoint really gives you a lot to think about. The authors are also very objective, not showing favorites among the various schools of thought. This book is a must for every student and teacher of counseling and psychology.

Exceptional book for both Christian and Secular readers 5 out of 5 stars.
17 of 20 people found this review helpful.

I'm a psychologist in training, and have many books reviewing various psychotherapies on my shelves, but this remains one of my favorite resources. It explores a number of therapeutic approaches, first by reviewing the thoughts of the approach's founder, then by discussing modern uses. These writeups are useful regardless of whether or not you're looking for a Christian view of the different approaches.

At the end of each chapter, there is a section discussing the approaches as they relate to foundational Biblical principles. This is not a text whose purpose is to spout opinions or dogma; it serves as a strong and rational look at the different aspects of each approach discussed. The reader will come away with a better understanding not only of modern psychotherapeutic approaches, but also with which aspects of those approaches are Biblical in nature, which aren't, and why. Particuarly useful for those building an integrative or electic foundation, or who wish to base their chosen orientation on Biblical principles.

Editorial Review:

Stanton L. Jones and Richard E. Butman survey and evaluate the most significant psychotherapies now in use, including Freudian analysis, behavior modification, existential therapy, family therapy, Jungian therapy, and six others.

BIBLICAL PSYCHOLOGY

OSWALD CHAMBERS

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Relationships -> Interpersonal Relations

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Smack in the face of popular [Christian] psychology! 5 out of 5 stars.
25 of 25 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderfully refreshing book in light of the overly-sympathetic trends and "what you feel is what is real" psychology of today. Chambers clearly defines psychological health as the life that is Christ. In clearly developed thought he declares that the road to the wholly healthy life is through absolute surrender to the Absolutely Healthy One -- Jesus.

Wonderfully written 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Oswald Chambers does it again - for the probing mind and seeking a deeper understanding of Christianity... I highly recommend.

Editorial Review:

Any book by Oswald Chambers is a repository of treasures. And this particular volume, one of the few books the author would see in print before his untimely death, reveals his gifts of insight and analysis. If you've ever tried to reconcile the yawning gulf between faith and a world full of anger and fear, this book will answer your most pressing questions.