Towards a Theological Understanding of Psychopathology and Therapy

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleTowards a Theological Understanding of Psychopathology and Therapy
3. Language term English
4. lemma author Delli, Eudoxie
5. lemma category Complementarity - Orthodox Anthropology - Scientific theories and disciplines > Psychology-Psychoanalysis - Concepts of knowledge and modes of reasoning
6. lemma work Τhermos, (Protopresbyter) Vasileios [Author]. Towards a Theological Understanding of Psychopathology and Therapy
7. lemma manifestations International Journal of Orthodox Theology
8. Keywords soul - body - Human energies - Winnicott, Donald Woods - Maximus the Confessor - Palamas, Gregory - Zizioulas, (Metropolitan) John - Giannaras, Christos
9. Url urn:nbn:de:0276-2011-3064
10. Citations
    1. <p>Thermos, (Protopresbyter) Vasileios (2011). Towards a Theological Understanding of Psychopathology and Therapy. <em>International Journal of Orthodox Theology</em>, <em>2-3</em>, 101-119. </p>
11. Lemma body

    1. According to the author, the desirable encounter and dialogue between Orthodox theology and the psychological sciences require a crossing and mutual understanding of their epistemology and terminology, which have been isolated for centuries.

        For this purpose, Fr Vasileios Thermos attempts to shed light to anthropological issues by correlating the traditional terminology of soul and spirit with what modern psychotherapies call psyche, mental, disorder, and therapy. For this purpose, he reviews biblical and patristic sources (St Basil the Great, St Gregory of Nyssa, St Maximus the Confessor, St John of Sinai, St John of Damaskos and St Gregory Palamas) about the high human energies (intellect, emotion, will etc.) which prove to be products of our common nature, namely of the inseparable complex ''soul-body''.

       Besides, he proceeds to make distinctions between soul and spirit, and to express them in terms of contemporary psychophysiology. Furthermore, he indicates that mental disorders make a distortion of human energies which, because of various etiological factors, become autonomous from the desired unity.

       Finally, he tries to legitimize the psychological science by claiming that the modifications of disturbed human psychosomatic energies are not exclusively under the control of the hypostasis, as some conservative Christians suggest in order to keep Church away from psychology and psychiatry. The quest for inner freedom is highlighted by the author as a common aim of spiritual guidance and psychotherapy.