Details for Anthropology from Theological and Psychological Perspective

Who am I?  What is the soul?  How should Christian faith interact with the psychological sciences?  This unit considers the theological concepts of grace sin and freedom as found within traditional Christian theologies of the human person.  It also seeks to interact with the discipline of psychology and contemporary insights into the study of the mind.  The unit should be of particular interest for all people interested providing pastoral advice and counselling from a Christian perspective.

The unit Anthropology from Theological and Psychological Perspective is part of the subject area Theology and is offered as a part of the following Awards: Bachelor of Applied Theology (Korean) (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)), Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)).

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

This unit considers the theological concepts of grace sin and freedom as found within traditional Christian anthropology in interaction with the discipline of psychology

Subject Content

1. The contours of biblical anthropology
2. Historical development of the concept of the imago-dei
3. William James, Sigmund Freud and post Freudian analysis of the psychology of religion & the human quest for identity and meaning
4. Approaches to spirit, psyche and consciousness in theology and psychology
5. Christian thought on grace sin conversion and freedom (esp. alternate directions of Protestant and Catholic theology)
6. The implications of psychology for concepts of sin and freedom, as illustrated in the problem of addictions
7. Psychological theory and the importance of grace and conversion.

This course may be offered in the following formats

Lectures, class presentations, discussion, tutorials and web-based interaction.

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis College.

Assessment Methods

Worksheets (40%, 2000 words); Critical Book Review (30%, 1500 words); Case Study, group assessment (30%)

Prescribed Text

Readings provided

Representative References

• Beck, J.R., Demarest, B., The Human Person in Theology And Psychology: A Biblical Anthropology for the Twenty-first Century. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel, 2006.
• Cooper, T.D. Sin, pride & self-acceptance:The problem of identity in theology & psychology, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003.
• Doran, R., Theology and the Dialects of History.Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990.
• Duffy, S., The Dynamics of Grace: Perspectives in Theological Anthropology, Collegeville: Glazier, 1993.
• Emmons, R.A. The psychology of ultimate concerns: Motivation and spirituality in personality, New York: Guilford Press, 1999.
• Forsyth, J. Psychological theories of religion, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2003
• Frankl, V. The Unconscious God: Psychotherapy and Theology. N. Y.: Simon and Schuster, 1975.
• Grenz, S., The Social God and the Relational Self: A Trinitarian Theology of the Imago Dei, London: Westminster John Knox, 2001.
• James, W. The Varieties of Religious Experience. N.Y.: Collier, 1961.
• Jung, C. Memories, Dreams, Reflections. N. Y.: Vintage, 1961.
• May, G. G. Addiction and Grace. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988
• Moran, F. and Kelly, A. Searching for the Soul: Psychoanalytical and Theological Reflections on Spiritual Growth. Strathfield, NSW: St Pauls, 1999.
• Ormerod, N., Creation, Grace, and Redemption.New York: Orbis, 2007.
• Pannenberg, W., Anthropology in Theological Perspective, Philadelphia: Westminster, 1985.
• St Clair, M. Object Relations and Self Psychology: An Introduction. 3^rd ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole, 2000.