Introduction
Biblical and Christian counseling play significant roles in the lives of religious individuals who prioritize their spiritual well-being. In their speeches, Health Lambert and Mark McMinn explain the focus on Biblical and Christian variations of counseling, where the role of Scripture and psychology is accepted to a certain degree. At the same time, several points can be debatable, such as the ultimate authority and conceptualization of mental health.
Authority of Scripture
The first point of disagreement is connected to the Biblical counseling and the overall perspective offered in the second lecture by Health Lambert. According to the author, Scripture should be the primary source of guidance and ultimate authority. When describing the story with a young adolescent, the man focused on the fact that “people were naturally drawn to her warm personality.” Yet, her parents later found out that she cut herself (Lambert, 2021, 0:35). As a result, in terms of counseling, Lambert emphasized sufficiency and redemption as the leading interventions. I would disagree with such an opinion since the Bible should not be the only source of guidance, and counseling should involve psychological research and therapies as well.
Christian Concepts of Mental Health
Another point of disagreement concerns Christian counseling and its conceptualization of mental health. As Mark McMinn mentioned, Biblical counseling emphasizes sin more, yet Christian counseling, in its approaches, focuses more on the inner well-being of the individual (Dr. Ken Logan, 2016). In this case, Christian counseling acknowledges the role of science but does not prioritize diagnostic frameworks over spiritual well-being. At the same time, I would argue that such frameworks and theories are equally important.
Conclusion
In summary, several issues, including the definition of mental health and the ultimate authority, are subject to disagreement. The first area of contention concerns the biblical counseling and broad viewpoint presented in Health Lambert’s second lecture. The author contends that Scripture should serve as the primary source of instruction and the supreme authority.
I would disagree with this viewpoint since counseling should incorporate psychological studies and therapies in addition to the Bible as the exclusive source of instruction. Christian counseling’s conception of mental health is another area of debate. Psychological frameworks in Christian counseling, in my opinion, are significant.
References
Dr. Ken Logan. (2016). Mark McMinn, Ph.D. preliminary interview-integration of psychology & theology perspective[Video]. YouTube. Web.
Lambert, H. (2021). A theology of Biblical counseling: The doctrinal foundations of counseling ministry. Zondervan Academic.
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