Christian Psychotherapy and the Culture of Professionalism

Abstract

The idea of uniquely Christian counseling or psychotherapy is presented as being composed of three parts: theoretical and technical content, educational context, and professional context. The focus is on the latter two –- the context of the educational preparation of the practitioner, and the context within which he or she conducts a professional practice. The culture of professionalism is introduced as a major factor in the secularization of “Christian counseling,” and the educational and professional contexts are called into question by the fundamental issue of the opposition of the lordship of Jesus Christ to the lordship of professionalism, or the “powers and principalities.” It is concluded that Christian counselors, Christian graduate counseling programs, and Christian counseling centers must (a) liberate themselves from the sovereignty of the mental health profession, and (b) subordinate themselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ through accountability to the Christian community.