Author: Struthers, William M.

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 195-209

Abstract:

In The Snark was a Boojum, Frank Beach addressed the concern that comparative psychogists set out to study the behavior of a variety of species (the Snark), yet they ended up focusing on a single model: the white rat. The Boojum, he discovered from the literature was that they were not doing comparative psychology. Over the last 30 years, a great amount of effort has been directed towards the integration of Christianity and psychology. In this article, a question similar to Beach’s is raised. Is integration a Snark or a Boojum. An analysis of articles from two periodicals involved in integration suggests that clinical and theoretical psychologists have published extensively and found their Snark. In contrast, empirical research in the more experimental fields is nearly absent, suggesting either that in these sub-disciplines integration is a Boojum, or an alternative framework is in place.

Authors: Bassett, Rodney L.; Smith, Abigail; Thrower, Jacquelyn; Tindall, Meridith; Barclay, Jaime; Tiuch, Karrie; Powers, Colleen; Monroe, John

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp 210-218

Abstract:

Thirty students from a Christian liberal arts college participated in an effort to measure implicit and explicit attitudes toward religion and spirituality. The implicit attitudes were assessed using A modification of the Implicit Association Test (Greenwald, Mcghee, & Schwartz, 1998), The researchers selected words with a religious flavor and words with a spiritual flavor and then used the Implicit Association Test to assess student reactions to those two groups of words, Explicit attitudes toward religion and spirituality’ were assessed through two questionnaires: the Religion Scale (Bardis, 1961) and the Spiritual Well-being Scale (Paloutzian & Ellison, 1982), The pattern of results revealed meaningful connections among the explicit measures and meaningful connections among the implicit measures but relative autonomy between the explicit and implicit measures.

Authors: Yangarber-Hicks, Natalia; Hicks, Mitchell

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 219-232

Abstract:

In the last 30 years of its formal revival, much has been written about the theology and sociology of Messianic Judaism as a movement. However, little is known about the psychology of persons who believe in Jesus and maintain their Jewish heritage. This study represents an exploratory investigation of the identity and psychotherapy experiences of individuals who identify as Messianic Jews and Gentiles. Seventy-five adult Messianic believers participated in the study by responding to a number of closed- and open-ended questions. The impact of their faith commitment on family and social relationships, self-perceptions vis-a-vis Christian and Jewish communities, and use of spiritual, psychological, and other resources to cope with their challenging identity configurations were assessed. Implications for mental health professionals and clergy in understanding this population and other groups with complex ethnic and spiritual identities were discussed.

Authors: Murray, Melissa A.; Joyner, A. Barry; Burke, Kevin L.; Wilson, Matthew J.; Zwald, A. Drew

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 233-239

Abstract:

The purposes of the present study were to examine the differences in team cohesion and spirituality between softball teams who pray and those who do not pray, and to describe why softball players use prayer, when they pray, if they pray by choice, and how genuine the prayers are. Participants (N = 92) completed the Group Environment Questionnaire and the Spirituality in Sports Test to measure personal use of spirituality in sport. A significant difference was found between athletes who reported individual prayer and those who did not (p = .0001). Qualitative results revealed athletes believed prayer aided team cohesion. Future research should include team prayer among male athletes and perceptions of importance of team prayer among athletes in contact vs. non-contact sports.

Authors: Lawson, David A.; Wilcox, David A.

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 240-246

Abstract:

This article reviews and critiques the article, A Reformed Evangelical Approach to Developmental Psychology and the Bible, by Ebenezer A. de Oliveira. Although the authors agree with de Oliveira’s intent of clarifying definitions in integration literature, the authors contend that de Oliveira ultimately failed in his attempt and violated the same principles he attempted to correct. The authors attempt to clarify (1) de Oliveira’s critique of integration, (2) challenge his Reformed position within the Christian community and (3) expose the fallacies de Oliveira employed to defend his positions.

Author: de Oliveira, Ebenézer A.

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 247-253

Abstract:

In this rejoinder to Lawson and Wilcox, I first summarize my 2004 article, “A Reformed Evangelical Approach to Developmental Psychology and the Bible,” and then I clarify five points raised by my interactants and demonstrate that we agree in that there is no hierarchy in sources, truths, or disciplines. What set us apart is my support to the Reformed view of Scripture as standing above all other media for organizing, expounding, and disseminating ideas on God and His creation (i.e., hierarchical view), and also my caution towards natural reason as a necessary and sufficient basis for integration, once one assumes neatly demarcated data sets (e.g., Bible, creation) and respective fields of study (e.g., theology, psychology).

Authors: Anderson, Sandra F.; Noble, Marion S.; Shaw, Helen Frances

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 254-258

Abstract:

Presents a panel discussion about peer consultation among Christian therapists. Instructions offered by Saint Paul about relationships among people in the Christian community; Role of Christian commitment in the group.

Authors: Worthington Jr, Everett L.; Lerner, Andrea J.; Sharp, Constance B.

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 259-262

Abstract:

Discusses findings of a marriage research from 1997 to 2005 and how these findings challenge some popular opinions that healthy marriage is based on changing people’s interactions from negative to positive. Shift the cultural value of marriage; Advances in couples therapy; Aim of forgiveness and reconciliation of healing the emotional bond.

Author: Cappa, Patti

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 263-265

Abstract:

Discusses a case study about the Colordo-based Marble Retreat, which offers crisis intervention for clergy. Basis of Marble Retreat’s therapy; Merits of exploring history; Change of behavior that precipitates a change of heart.

Authors: Aten, Jamie D.; Hernandez, Barbara Couden

Journal of Psychology & Christianity, Vol. 24(3), Fall 2005, pp. 266-277

Abstract:

The purpose of this article is to review the existing qualitative studies published in spiritually and psychologically oriented peer-reviewed journals from 1978-2003. Of the 2,726 titles published in the seven journals that were searched, only 22 (.008%) qualitative articles were located. The following review presents an overview summary of each study, discussion of the application and use of qualitative designs, and recommendations for future qualitative inquiry regarding spirituality and religion in the context of psychology.