Psychology or theology of the personality

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleПсихология или богословие на личността
3. Language term Bulgarian
4. lemma author Nachev, Ivaylo
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines > Psychology-Psychoanalysis
6. Publication date 2002
7. lemma work Иванова, Мария [Author]. Psychology or theology of the personality
8. lemma manifestations Църковен вестник
9. Keywords Jung, Carl - Frankl Viktor - Adler, Alfred - psychiatry and Christianity - Freud
10. Lemma body

    1. The article analyzes the idea of the whole personality in the context of modern psychological theories and practices from a Christian point of view. The author, Maria Ivanova, argues that psychology offers limited means for the fulfilment of this idea, as it fails to take into account the spiritual factor but believes that the personality is subordinate to determinism.

       Freud’s psychoanalysis dissected the human psyche into id, ego and superego, striving to heal the personality by empowering the conscious aspects. According to the author, Freudian theories dragged the psyche down to the level of base instincts. Thus the course taken by psychology ignored the spiritual realm and attributed religion to fear of cosmic forces and the Oedipus complex.

       The author further mentions the individual psychology of A. Adler, who breaks away from Freud and places the importance on personal responsibility, instead of consciousness. Psychologists thus still focused on parts of the whole, but remained indifferent to the spirit.

       However, further trends in psychological approaches, depth psychology in particular, show certain signs of sobriety, according to the author. Victor Frankl, the founder of logotherapy, for example, calls attention to the meaning in life, while Carl Jung argues that one third of all suffering is due to the lack of meaning in life. Thus, modern psychology has to deal with problems, arising from the so called existential vacuum.

       Following these new trends, psychologists have to join hands with philosophers, in order to reconsider fundamental human values and the key questions of human existence.

       The author further argues that the problems of modern society such as alcoholism, suicides and drugs cannot be solved by mechanically applying psychoanalytical methods. The spiritual aspects have to be taken into account, since they are part of the whole.

       The article also mentions that from Christian perspective the idea of the whole personality and spiritual health is only possible through the teachings of Christ.