A Personality Theory of Christian Spirituality

382 Pages·2012·7.53 MB·English

A PERSONALITY THEORY OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

A PROJECT REPORT

SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY

GARY LEE BALDWIN

WINEBRENNER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

FINDLAY, OHIO

AUGUST 4, 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Gary Lee Baldwin
All rights reserved
A PERSONALITY THEORY OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

A PROJECT REPORT

SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY

GARY LEE BALDWIN

APPROVED BY:

Tommy Smith 7-31-12
Project Mentor Date

Charles George Fry 7-19-12
External Reader Date

Mrs. Katie M. Erickson 7-11-12
Writing Stylist Date

M. John Nissley 7-11-12
Doctor of Ministry Director Date

WINEBRENNER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

FINDLAY, OHIO

AUGUST 4, 2012
CONTENTS

TABLES ………………………………………………………………….... xi

ILLUSTRATIONS ..……………………………………………………….. xii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ………………………………………………..... xvi

ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………... xviii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT ……………….. 1

Statement of the Problem .………………………………………….. 3

Purpose of this Study ………………………………………………. 4

Research Methodology …………………………………………….. 5

Research Questions ………………………………………………… 9

Significance of the Study …………………………………………... 11

Assumptions and Limitations of the Study ………………………… 16

Definition of Terms ………………………………………………… 17

Theological Terms …………………………………………. 17

Psychological Terms ……………………………………….. 18

Organization of the Study ………………………………………….. 19

CHAPTER TWO: BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS .. 22

Old Testament Anthropology ………………………………………. 24

Basar (Flesh) ……………………………………………….. 27

Ruach (Spirit) ………………………………………………. 29

iv
Nephesh (Soul) ……………………………………………... 32

Leb (Heart) …………………………………………………. 34

A Summary of Old Testament Anthropology ……………… 35

New Testament Anthropology ……………………………………... 39

Soma (Body) ………………………………………….…...... 42

Sarx (Flesh) ……………………………………………….… 44

Psyche (Soul) ……………………………………………….. 46

Pneuma (Spirit) …………………………………………...... 46

Kardia (Heart) ……………………………………………… 49

Nous (Mind) ………………………………………………… 50

Suneidēsis (Conscience) ……………………………………. 51

Inner and Outer Person ………………………………….….. 51

New Testament Anthropology Generalized ……………….. 53

CHAPTER THREE: REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND OTHER
SOURCES ON NEUROLOGY ……………………………………………. 59

The Historically Unappreciated Brain ……………………………… 59

The Mystery of the Brain …………………………………………… 61

An Overall Description of the Brain ……………………………….. 63

Understanding the Human Brain …………………………… 66

The Hindbrain …………………………………….… 69

The Midbrain ………………………………….…..... 69

The Forebrain ………………………………………. 70

The diencephalon …………………………… 70

The telencephalon ………………………….. 71
v
The frontal lobe …………………….. 76

The parietal lobe ....……………….... 77

The occipital lobe …………………... 78

The temporal lobe ……………….….. 78

The motor cortex ………………….… 79

Dendrites and Axons: The Primary Stuff of the
Brain ………………………………………………… 80

Metaphors, . . . metaphors, . . . and more metaphors! 84

Modern Theories of the Mind/Brain Problem ……………………… 85

Materialism: A Reductionist’s Paradise ……………………. 86

Dualism: “Is There a Soul?” …………………………….….. 92

Wholism: The Hologram Brain in a Hologram Universe ….. 97

The Brain As Hologram ………………….……….… 101

Memories Recalled and Memories Forgotten …........ 101

The Brain As a Repository of Vast Amounts
of Information ………………………………………. 101

Pribram Takes the Next Logical Step ……................ 102

From Hologram to Wisdom ………………………………… 109

Summary ………………………………………................................ 114

CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND
PROCEDURES …………………………………………………………….. 117

Defined Approaches to the Relationship Between Theology
And Psychology …………………………………………………….. 118

The Scripture Against Psychology Model ……………….…. 118

The Scripture Of Psychology Model …………………….…. 119
vi
The Scripture Parallels Psychology Model ……………….… 121

The Scripture Integrates Psychology Model ……………….. 123

Following An Integrative Approach …………………………..…… 124

Theology Proper—Psychology as Science ………….……… 127

Anthropology—Personality ………………………………… 127

Hamartiology—Psychopathology ………………………….. 128

Soteriology—Developmental Processes …………………… 128

Christology—Counselor ……………………………………. 129

Ecclesiology—Group Process ……………………………… 130

Eschatology—Reward, Expectations, and Goals ………...... 130

The Integrative Approach Proposed ……………………….............. 128

The Importance of Philosophy In the Work of
Integration ………………………………………………….. 132

The Significance of Philosophical Differences
and Changes ………….…………………………….. 132

How These Philosophical Changes Have
Influenced Modern Theology …………….……….. 135

How These Philosophical Changes Have
Influenced Modern Psychology …………..………... 135

The Significance of Phenomenology For This
Integration Approach ……………………………………….. 140

CHAPTER FIVE: A PERSONALITY THEORY OF HUMAN
SPIRITUALITY ……………………………………………………………. 143

The Commandment—the Significance of Words or
Language …………………………………………………………… 148

How Words Become In Fleshed ……….…………………… 155

vii
Perceptual Experience: The Prelude to
Language …………………………………………… 165

The Structure of Parts and Wholes ………… 165

Indentity in Manifolds ……………............... 166

Presence and Absence ……………............... 167

Other Contributors to Phenomenological
Analysis …………………………………………….. 168

The Phenomenology of Memory ….............. 169

The Imagination in Phenomenology ……….. 170

Temporality ………………………………… 171

Perceptual Experience Is the Beginning of
Language …………………………………………… 174

The Prelinguistic or Sublinguistic …………. 174

The Development of the Normal Use
of Words ……………………………………. 175

Language That Expresses
Declaratives ………………………………… 176

Philosophical Language ……………………. 177

Words Bring Another Presentation of the
Phenomenological Mind …………………………… 179

The Purpose of Language ………………………….. 182

The Meal—The Significance of How Words Create Persons
Through Relationships ………….………………………………….. 184

The Person and the Experience of God ……………………. 190

A Phenomenological Model of the Person and the
Experience of God …………………………………. 194

viii
A Phenomenological Model of the Person and the
Experience of Evil ………………………………….. 199

The Relatedness of God and Humanity In a Meal ................ 209
.
The Faith Underlying the Holy Eucharist ………….. 209

The Holy Eucharist as the Incarnation of God …….. 212

The Phenomenological Mechanics of
Holy Eucharist ………….…………………………... 215

The Tabernacle—How God’s Glory Through Words and the Spirit
Now Resides Within Humanity—Making It a New Creature ……... 223

Conclusion ………………………………………………………….. 231

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION,
RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………………… 233

Summary ……………………………………………………………. 235

Findings …………………………………………………………….. 239

Healing Through Psychology ………………………………. 242

Modern Psychology As a Healing Ministry of the Church … 246

A Christian Model of Psychotherapy ………………………. 248

Process and Explanation of Treatment: Domain 1 … 254

Process and Explanation of Treatment: Domain 2 … 256

Process and Explanation of Treatment: Domain 3 … 258

The Importance and Need For a Personality Model ……….. 260

From Psychology to the Care of the Soul ………………….. 266

A General Understanding of Spirituality …………………... 270

The Different Personalities and Spiritualties For
“Tuning In” To God ………………………………………... 285

SJ Spirituality ………………………………………. 292
ix
SP Spirituality …………………………………….… 297

NF Spirituality ……………………………………… 302

NT Spirituality ……………………………………… 308

Practical Guideline for Developing One’s
Spirituality ………………………………………….. 312

The Enneagram: Another Tool for Spiritual Discernment … 316

The Gut Center ……………………………………... 327

The Heart Center …………………………………… 328

The Head Center ……………………………….…… 329

Further Subtypes ………………………………….… 330

Some Concluding Remarks for Spiritual Direction As
Presented in this Project …………….……………………… 334

Conclusion ……………………………………………………..…… 335

Recommendations ………………………………………………..… 342

APPENDIX A …………………………………………………………….... 346

WORKS CITED ……………………………………………………………. 352

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