Let us be ruthless to root out theoretical structures that view people as psychological or socio-pyschological abstractions: the phenomena observed are not “ego defense mechanisms” but are pride’s offensive, defensive, and deceptive strategies. And let us also reject the therapeutic assumptions that are consequent to the theory: they are poor and deceptive substitutes for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

— David Powlison (1949–2019), Seelsorger, Theologe, Dozent und Autor der biblischen Seelsorgebewegung (CCEF)

Topics: Doubt & Hard Questions, Humility & Pride

David Powlison

David Powlison (1949–2019) war ein US-amerikanischer evangelikal-reformierter Seelsorger, Theologe und langjähriger Leiter der Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). Er prägte die Weiterentwicklung der biblischen Seelsorgebewegung hin zu einem gnadenorientierten Ansatz, stieß mit seiner Abgrenzung von säkularer Psychotherapie und Psychiatrie jedoch auch auf fachliche Kritik. Für Bibelleser veranschaulicht sein Werk, wie theologische Aussagen der Schrift auf persönliche Lebenskrisen, seelische Nöte und zwischenmenschliche Konflikte bezogen werden können.

All quotes by David Powlison (36)

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Now that I am a Christian I do not have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.
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