山道期刊

Anxiety As the Core Theme of Humanity — Psychology in Tillich’s Theology

CHUANG Hsin Te

“Anxiety” is one of the best starting points to comprehend Tillich’s Existential Psychology. Tillich’s life history and some remarkable incidents in his life greatly influenced his doctrine of man; tragic events caused deep anxiety and strong impact on his thought. Apart from anxiety, the idea of demonic, which later became the main subject of the renowned existential psychologist Rollo May (1909-1994), also played a crucial role in the formation of Tillich’s theology.

The important role of anxiety and demonic in the field of existential psychology and therapy affected the ontological perspective of Tillich, who embraced the idea of “non-being” in a positive way. Tillich’s theology can be seen as a journey of self-exploration and psychological process of redemption by means of academic forms. This explains why his theological issues and methodology were not the same as his contemporaries and they have become important elements in the field of existential psychology.

On the Positive Psychology Appropriated by Hope-Based Christian Counseling

Simon S. M. KWAN

Thirty or more years ago, there was strangely a dearth of research in pastoral literature addressing the notion of hope, despite the call for an increased emphasis on the notion in many fields of study, including theology, philosophy, and psychology. The past decades, however, witnessed extensive research into the area. This paper sets out to critically evaluate the various pastoral theologies of hope reflected in recent literature. The main focus will be on the deep influence of positive psychology on the construction of such pastoral theologies. It will begin with a generic sketch of the recent history of pastoral theology of hope, and then narrow down to a study of two approaches advocated respectively by Everett L. Worthington and Donald Capps. Fascinating and insightful though the approaches are, they do not, this paper will argue, critically discriminate between positive psychologies of hope and Christian theologies of hope. C. R. Snyder’s non-dialectical notion of hope will be taken as representative of the positive psychology of hope, which will be compared and contrasted with the dialectical notion of the Christian hope. To conclude, this paper will resort to Don Browning’s words: the deep metaphors of the modern psychologies tend to be singular and one dimensional, too uncomplex, and insufficiently rich to take account of the fullness of the actual range of practical living.

On the Positive Psychology ApproA Reflection of Positive Psychology from the Christian Spirituality Perspective and Constructing Christian Positive Psychology and Its Soul C.A.R.E.S. Modelpriated by Hope-Based Christian Counseling

Simon Yiu-chuen LEE

Since 1998, Martin Seligman and many other psychologists have developed a new field in psychology called Positive Psychology, a new science of human strength. Rather than looking at humans from a medical model, positive psychology looks at developing character strengths and virtues to achieve authentic happiness, which is defined as the pleasant life, the good life and the meaningful life. This concept is extended to positive psychotherapy and positive health. The developing field is reviewed and critiqued based on its humanistic roots and empirical evidences. Because of its philosophical and spiritual emphases, Positive Psychology is also evaluated from integrative, theological and Christian spirituality perspectives. It is concluded that the goals of Positive Psychology and Christian pastoral care are similar since both are human growth models. However, their views on character strength and virtues are different, and therefore the paths to psychological and spiritual wholeness (eudaimonia) are different and yet complementary. Recognizing both human virtues and vices, and building on a long tradition of pastoral care (healing, sustaining, reconciling and directing), a positive and holistic model of the care and cure of the soul is constructed by the author, called Soul C.A.R.E.S. The model takes a holistic approach to positive health, including health in all five areas of human spirituality: physical, emotional and personality, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal and family, will and spirit. The model includes the following five areas of core-competences for pastors and pastoral counselors: Christ-centered caring and counsel, accurate assessment, restoration and reconciliation, edification and enrichment, spiritual direction and formation. The five goals of this model are to help a person develop a comforted spirit, an accessible spirit, a reconciled spirit, an empowered spirit and a serene spirit.

Psychology through the Eyes of a Pastor

Gerald T. LUI

The disciplines of psychology and theology have been explored from a perspective that they are not in conflict with one another. Psychological research has deduced a wealth of knowledge that has been helpful to the general public and it can be a great resource to the church and the pastor who provides care to his church members. In psychotherapy or counseling, a person is empowered to take on his or her own responsibilities to change and to deal with the effects of sin in one’s life – relationship with God, self, others and the world. Some of the psychological research that specifically relates to our Christian faith reveals that (1) problems arise when we act independently of God, and (2) how we were parented or the styles of parenting we received can affect our relationship with God. A growing area of research has been in member care — the care for missionaries during pre-field preparations, on the field operations and post field or re-entry adjustments. The themes that pastors were most interested to know from psychology were: sin and pathology, how to care for pastors’ own well-being, dealing with diverse personalities, intervention skills, with an emphasis on marriage and family, and understanding psychological disorders. It was also found that pastors were not familiar with the other expertise of psychologists that contribute positively to the ministry and operations of the church. Studies suggest that mental health practitioners would need a radical shift in perspective to establish a collaborative relationship with pastors. This would facilitate a more consultative relationship with each other that the works of God’s Kingdom can be attended to more effectively.

On Liu Xiaofeng’s Conception of Sino-Christian Theology

Leonard Hung-shing CHEUNG

More than ten years ago, Liu Xiaofeng unveiled his conception of Sino-Christian theology. From then on the discussion about it has never stopped. I will participate in it from the perspective of analytic philosophy with the following two purposes.

In the first place, I endeavor to explicate Liu’s very idea of Sino-Christian theology by using the method of definition. It is found that Liu, using the method of class and difference, firstly defines “theology” as “rational discourses on the ultimate reality”; secondly “Christian theology” as “rational discourses on the meanings of the Christ event which is the word of God”; finally “Sino-Christian theology” as “rational discourses, in consideration of Chinese worldview, on the meanings of the Christ event which is the word of God”.

In the second place, I point out that since the discourses of Sino-Christian theology are bound to Chinese worldview and Christian worldview, the possibilities of incomparability (i.e. both worldviews are incomparable), compatibility (i.e. both worldviews are compatible) and incompatibility (i.e. both worldviews are incompatible) should be entertained. According to Liu, we should embrace incompatibility. I strive to prove that Liu is correct because comparability is impossible and compatibility is unsuccessful. I also point out that since incompatibility is the only rational choice for Sino-Christian theologians, we should abandon indigenous theology or the likes, which adopt compatibility approach, and put our efforts on proving that Christian worldview is more reasonable than Chinese worldview.

Bonhoeffer on Prayer

Samuel CHIOW

The emphasis on concreteness can be seen to pervade Bonhoeffer’s thought and action.

Bonhoeffer’s life exhibited the unity of prayer and righteous action; in his thought they are inextricably linked together, so much so that in certain situations they are virtually synonymous. Prayer, for Bonhoeffer, may be seen as an integral part of a concrete faith; thus, an examination of his theological thinking on prayer, both as lived out in his life and as formulated in his works, is significant for a clearer understanding of his theology as a whole.

Worship: From the Triune God back to the Triune God

Andres S. TANG

In this paper the author tries to display the biblical understanding of worship. Three points are going to be elaborated. Firstly, worship is initiated by the triune God from the very beginning. This is because apart from the economic activity of the triune God one does not know to whom he or she is going to worship. The worshipper is called to gather and worship by the triune God himself. Secondly, one’s response is not active but passive since the worshipper is in the truth, Logos, and, through the Holy Spirit, worships the Father. This means that one’s response to the triune God is also initiated by the triune God himself. These two points can be drawn out from the Gospel of John 4:23-24 in which a Trinitarian understanding of the worship practice expressed by Jesus Christ is found. Thirdly, accordingly, worship is not to be understood as something affective or magical, manipulated by the human side. In the former, worship becomes not a response to the triune God but corporate self-arousal or mutual entertainment while in the latter, worship is conducted by following prescribed rites in order to achieve supernatural control.