Should Christians study psychology?
Shouldn’t Christian homeschoolers reject psychology completely? Isn’t modern
psychology a hostile rival religion or part of an aggressive secular humanistic
usurpation of our Judeo-Christian heritage?
Maybe. But isn’t the humble investigation of God’s creation part of what it
means to love God with one’s mind? Do Christian homeschoolers have a duty
to explore all of God’s creation? Does that duty to explore extend to His
grandest creation; Mankind? Does that duty extend to Mankind’s mind?
Though the conflicts between modern psychology and a Christian worldview
are many and perilous, I suggest that it may be a mistake for Christians to
completely reject the study of psychology.
Consider modern academic biology. For many homeschoolers, countering
evolutionary teaching was a factor in the decision to homeschool. Is modern
evolutionary biology part of an aggressive secular usurpation of our Judeo-
Christian heritage or a hostile rival religion? Maybe. Though the conflicts
between modern biology and a Christian worldview are many and perilous, can
homeschoolers reject biology completely? Probably not. Christian biologists do
not dispute the basic observations of cellular biology, but they do dispute the
general evolutionary propositions of modern biology. Though the evolutionary
presuppositions of academic biology are diametrically opposed to a Christian
worldview, using curricula written from a Christian perspective, Christian
homeschoolers confront modern biology’s anti-Christian history and bias and
prepare students to confront evolutionary assumptions at all levels. Shouldn't
the Christian homeschooler likewise confront modern psychology’s anti-
Christian history and bias?
The bottom line is this. Beginning with Darwin’s Origin of Species, all sciences,
including psychology, underwent a transformation. Scientific data were
interpreted in ways to exclude supernatural beliefs and assumptions.
Psychology, once the study of the soul, became the study of the brain and
behavior. Darwinian evolution imposed itself on the Christian understanding of
life (biology) and then tried to exclude anything Christian. Darwinian macro
imposed itself on the Christian understanding of Man (psychology) and then
tried to exclude anything Christian.
Christians, and by extension Christian homeschoolers, should, as they have in
academic biology, contest the idea of a faith/psychology dichotomy, challenge
the core assumptions of modern psychology, and redefine the debate in terms
of differing worldviews. Christian homeschoolers who believe that Darwinian
evolution does not define the science of biology should recognize that the
condescending antireligious bias and atheism of Sigmund Freud and many of
the fathers of modern psychology does not define the science of psychology.
Can one reasonably be anti-psychology any more than one can be anti-
biology?
psychology a hostile rival religion or part of an aggressive secular humanistic
usurpation of our Judeo-Christian heritage?
Maybe. But isn’t the humble investigation of God’s creation part of what it
means to love God with one’s mind? Do Christian homeschoolers have a duty
to explore all of God’s creation? Does that duty to explore extend to His
grandest creation; Mankind? Does that duty extend to Mankind’s mind?
Though the conflicts between modern psychology and a Christian worldview
are many and perilous, I suggest that it may be a mistake for Christians to
completely reject the study of psychology.
Consider modern academic biology. For many homeschoolers, countering
evolutionary teaching was a factor in the decision to homeschool. Is modern
evolutionary biology part of an aggressive secular usurpation of our Judeo-
Christian heritage or a hostile rival religion? Maybe. Though the conflicts
between modern biology and a Christian worldview are many and perilous, can
homeschoolers reject biology completely? Probably not. Christian biologists do
not dispute the basic observations of cellular biology, but they do dispute the
general evolutionary propositions of modern biology. Though the evolutionary
presuppositions of academic biology are diametrically opposed to a Christian
worldview, using curricula written from a Christian perspective, Christian
homeschoolers confront modern biology’s anti-Christian history and bias and
prepare students to confront evolutionary assumptions at all levels. Shouldn't
the Christian homeschooler likewise confront modern psychology’s anti-
Christian history and bias?
The bottom line is this. Beginning with Darwin’s Origin of Species, all sciences,
including psychology, underwent a transformation. Scientific data were
interpreted in ways to exclude supernatural beliefs and assumptions.
Psychology, once the study of the soul, became the study of the brain and
behavior. Darwinian evolution imposed itself on the Christian understanding of
life (biology) and then tried to exclude anything Christian. Darwinian macro
imposed itself on the Christian understanding of Man (psychology) and then
tried to exclude anything Christian.
Christians, and by extension Christian homeschoolers, should, as they have in
academic biology, contest the idea of a faith/psychology dichotomy, challenge
the core assumptions of modern psychology, and redefine the debate in terms
of differing worldviews. Christian homeschoolers who believe that Darwinian
evolution does not define the science of biology should recognize that the
condescending antireligious bias and atheism of Sigmund Freud and many of
the fathers of modern psychology does not define the science of psychology.
Can one reasonably be anti-psychology any more than one can be anti-
biology?
About the author.
I hold a Doctorate of Ministry in
Family Counseling from Regions
University. I spent 12 years
working in a secular public
behavioral health care center.
Tina and I have home-schooled
our children for 15 years; our
oldest daughter is now a college
sophomore.
As a young Christian, one of the
first college courses I took (over
30 years ago) was Psychology
101. I was not ready to refute the
worldview assumptions hidden in
the theories I was taught. Under
the banner of “science,” the
psychology professor challenged
or ridiculed everything I held
dear. I was part of the majority of
Christians who “walked away”
from their faith within 12 months
of starting college.
I wrote Homeschool Psych to
help prepare Christian
homeschool students for the
dangers of modern psychology
and to provide a framework in
which our children can study the
wonders of the soul, the mind,
the brain, and behavior though a
Christian worldview.
Dr. Tim Rice
I hold a Doctorate of Ministry in
Family Counseling from Regions
University. I spent 12 years
working in a secular public
behavioral health care center.
Tina and I have home-schooled
our children for 15 years; our
oldest daughter is now a college
sophomore.
As a young Christian, one of the
first college courses I took (over
30 years ago) was Psychology
101. I was not ready to refute the
worldview assumptions hidden in
the theories I was taught. Under
the banner of “science,” the
psychology professor challenged
or ridiculed everything I held
dear. I was part of the majority of
Christians who “walked away”
from their faith within 12 months
of starting college.
I wrote Homeschool Psych to
help prepare Christian
homeschool students for the
dangers of modern psychology
and to provide a framework in
which our children can study the
wonders of the soul, the mind,
the brain, and behavior though a
Christian worldview.
Dr. Tim Rice
| Whatever you believe about psychology, the time to address it is BEFORE your child leaves home for college. True or False? Psychology is an idolatrous, heretical, and ungodly rival religion that places Christians at risk of spiritual deception. True or False? Psychology is better described as psychobabble, psycho- heresy, or the most deadly form of modernism ever to confront the Church. True or False? The study of psychology is tantamount to declaring the Bible inadequate. True or False? Christian homeschoolers share responsibility to work toward the expression of a Christian worldview in psychology. True or False? Christian homeschoolers should prepare to be part of the future intellectual leadership in psychology. True or False? 70% of Christian students “walk away” from their faith within 12 months of entering college. |
| Do not send your child to college without reading this book. True or False? There is an excellent chance that your child will take an introductory psychology course in college. True or False? Psychology departments often are home to the most anti-Christian intellectuals on college campuses. True or False? The psychology 101 professor is unlikely to be sympathetic to your child’s Christian worldview. True or False? Instruction in modern psychology is generally atheistic, humanistic, and evolutionary and Christian students are often ill- prepared to confront the anti-Christian worldview presented by modern psychology. True or False? It is important your child is equipped to evaluate psychology’s influence in academia, the culture, and the Church at the worldview level. |
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Click the link to open your
email program to contact
Dr. Rice via email.
Contact Dr. Rice
Want to order your own copy of
Homeschool Psych?
Click the link to get to our
ordering page
Order Homeschool Psych