View of the Relationship Between Psychology and Christianity Using the Enemies Model

Enemies Model Essay
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Scholars have been interested in investigating the relationship between Christianity and psychology for many years and, thus, many debates. It is crucial to analyze this relationship because it affects how people perceive the world and relate to God. The integration of Christianity and psychology has created serious discussions with the proposition of various models to demonstrate the relationship between the two (Entwistle, 2015). For this analysis, the Enemies model of integration will underline the arguments. After seriously evaluating different study disciplines, it is beyond doubt that the Enemies model of integration best demonstrates the relationship between the Christian faith and the science of psychology. This paper will thoroughly describe the Enemies model of integration, its perception of Christianity and psychology relationship, its take on the two books' concept, and its strengths and limitations.
Methods of Knowing
According to Entwistle (2015), Christians can access various knowledge methods, such as theology, psychology, and philosophy. Theoretical knowledge derives from scripture studies, offering a concrete basis for Christian practices and beliefs. Moreover, philosophy enables Christians to contemplate their faith and participate in non-Christian perspectives. On the other hand, Entwistle (2015) posits that psychology offers significant insights into people's behaviour and mental processes, which can incorporate philosophical and theoretical knowledge. The Enemies model of integration bases its arguments on the premise that Christianity is significantly at odds with psychology (Entwistle, 2015). The model suggests that Christians can obtain knowledge from the field of psychology but perceives psychology as extremely flawed and with limited capacity to address Christian spiritual problems. Therefore, it stresses the significance of scriptures and theoretical knowledge as the primary sources of learning.
However, such emphasis does not imply the irrelevance of psychology to Christianity. Rather, the Enemies model of integration insinuates that Christians should selectively utilize psychology while considering sectors where it can offer insights without contradicting theological practices and beliefs. For instance, through psychology, Christians can understand how human emotions and the mind work, which can determine their approach to pastoral care and counselling (Whitney, 2019). But Christians are advised against using psychology to address such spiritual problems as salvation and sin and are advised to ask for insights and seek understanding through crying out to God (English Standard Version Bible, 2023, Prov. 2:3)
Description of the Model
The Enemies model of integration explains that Christianity and psychology are two distinct entities and often conflicting ideas. The model views the two ideologies as incompatible because they have varying beliefs concerning God's nature, the origin of morality, and human nature. It portrays psychology as a humanistic and secular discipline that highly depends on empirical evidence as opposed to Christianity, which focuses on spiritual truth and relies on faith...