July 18 1994

ARTICLE TOOLS

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The May 16 cover story, "Psychobabble" by Robert C. Roberts, was most instructive. During the past 20 years I have observed a subtle trend in the church to emphasize psychology more than redemption. It has troubled me. The article helped clarify the issue for me.

- Karen Gronvall Larson

Monticello, Mmn.

Roberts's "Psychobabble" is just more psychobabble. Calling spirituality psychology is even more deceiving. James states, "This wisdom is not that which comes from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic." James calls this wisdom psychikee (unspiritual) in contrast to pneumatikos (spiritual). The natural wisdom of psychology should not be confused with the spiritual wisdom of God. For those who have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and are complete in him (Col. 2 10), they have no need of this wisdom.

- Pastor Tom Watson

Countryside Bible Church Soutblake, Tex.

I think the cover art is worth a thousand words. The boat is headed toward the rocks, and I am reminded of 1 Timothy 1: l9: "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck."

- John Schaefer

Herndon, Va.

"Psychobabble" was excellent in most respects. I missed only one thing—the opposite premises that distinguish Christianity from all humanists' theories of human nature. Humanism holds that we are either "good," or at least "innocent," and corrupted by society. Rousseau popularized this view. Christianity holds that we are "fallen" and in God's eyes "totally depraved." As the Fourth Thesis of Luther puts it, "God does not love us because we are valuable; we are valuable because God loves us."

All secular therapies begin with the false premise that "man is the measure of all things." All the conversational ...