JESUS AND PSYCHOLOGY

Jesus and Psychology
A Catholic Perspective

INTRODUCTION

Psychology began as a noble experiment to study the person as scientifically as possible so as to further understanding of the body and the mind concretely. In so doing psychologists overlooked a major component of the human being. It is true we can see and touch the physical aspects of each person. It is true we can infer mental operations by the behaviors persons exhibit. Yet, it is also true that there is a component of the person that psychologists and psychological theorists overlook. That is the spiritual side of the person.

The human being is a complex composite of mind, body and spirit. No scientist anywhere has ever been able to explain how these components interact. No scientist anywhere will ever be able to do so even if such scientists explore the spiritual component of the person. Human life is a mystery that was, is and never will be totally understood.

Of course DNA explains a great deal about the inherited characteristic s of each person. Physiological studies of the brain certainly identify where some human functions originate. Psychiatric studies have shown how when the human being is lacking in certain chemicals he/she exhibits varying degrees of psychiatric disturbances. Medicine have been discovered that replace these chemical that are missing in persons and allow them to function reasonably well in their daily lives. Yet, the sum total of all of this research is still quite incomplete. Science has only scratched the surface of human understanding the human being.

There has also been and continues to be a body of knowledge that explores the spiritual side of the human being. This is the body of knowledge that explore spirituality from a variety of perspectives. These researchers touch upon the unseen part of the person and, through such work, seek to explain the human being. These theorists cross over into the boundary of religion as they delve deeper into expositions of explaining the person.

What is the answer? This web site will bring together these schools of thought in an overview fashion so that you may be able to see the picture generically. Each section will provide bibliographic material for you to explore as your interests lead you to explore so that you may go beneath the surface of the materials presented in each paper. You will not be an expert on spirituality and psychology. However, you will be challenged to explore schools of thought that will allow you the flexibility to grow in your knowledge of each topic.

The Catholic Perspective enters the picture with references to The Council of Vatican II in its insistence on the need for a New Evangelization of Catholics through their inner experience of the Presence of the Risen Jesus within them. It is this Inner True Presence in the Person of the Most Holy Spirit that interacts with us daily that provides insights into the ways in which the body of knowledge in the fields of psychology and spirituality can coalesce into one school of thought A Catholic Perspective on Spirituality and Psychology.

I hope you enjoy your journey with noted theorists in your journey through this course of study. I have endeavored to make it as interesting and as challenging as it can be. I include a number of different ways of presenting these materials so as to keep you interested.

John T. Palmer, Ph. D

A Catholic Psychologist

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

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HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN