how to help people (biblical anthropology in education and pastoral counselling) dana & pavel...
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HOW TO HELP PEOPLE (Biblical Anthropology in
Education and Pastoral Counselling)
Dana & Pavel Hanes, Slovakia
“REGARDING HENRY”
HOW WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED
Where we are today (problems described)
Biblical anthropology in Christian practice (suggested solution)
ELF2010 EGERMay 2010
SECULAR EDUCATIONAL PARADIGMS
Serious Problems in Contemporary Approaches to Education and Counselling –
1
The surrounding Zeitgeist in Christian theory and practice
Undercurrent assumptions: monism, scientism, subjectivism (selfism) smuggled into the Christian work as a contraband through attitudes, methods and aims of education/counselling
Serious Problems in Contemporary Approaches to Education and Counselling –
2
Monism – reality is a seamless fabric ‘Monism’ – doctrine that either that there is ultimately only
one thing, or only one kind of thing; There is no gulf dividing reality (created/uncreated; spiritual/physical)
Key-word: knowability Consequences: loss of worship; critique of God
▪ Fact/Value dichotomy values chosen arbitrarily (voluntarism)▪ Psycho-theology (Jung) “God” is product of human consciousness
Serious Problems in Contemporary Approaches to Education and Counselling –
3
Scientism – “inordinate trust in scientific methods” determinism (Laplace) All you need is to discover the right
method. ( “How to” Christian literature) key-word: control consequences: depersonalization; manipulation
▪ no responsibility for one’s problems (blaming society, parents )▪ belief in fate
Subjectivism – Setting goals according to individual desires
“selfism”: metaphysical rebellion (Camus); self-determination ideal (“define or be defined” – Szasz); absolute autonomy (Lipovetsky)
key-word: image (visual culture Life the Movie Gabler) consequences: identity loss; god-complex
▪ no sense of belonging (everyone is in a class of his own)▪ loss of significance/meaning in proportion to self-evaluation
Serious Problems in Contemporary Approaches to Education and Counselling –
4
EDUCATIONAL PARADIGMS(Y. Bertrand, 1993)
SPIRITUALISTIC EDUCATIONAL THEORIES
The emphasis not on the development of the learning subject, but on the relationship of the learning subject as a member of a bigger „unit“, getting free from the dichotomy between object and subject: the aim is to reach this „unity“
Transcendence of the subject, relationship to mystical reality, intuitive experience of this unity („pure subjectivity“) – with the centre in cosmic conscience (New Age)
SURPRISING ENCOUNTERS WITH CHILD SPIRITUALITY
Robert Coles: The Spiritual Life of children (1990) in conversation with Anna Freud:
“Each child becomes an authority, and all the meetings become occassions for a teacher–the child – to offer, gradually, a lesson.”
CURRENT PARADIGMS OF EDUCATION
• humanism: C. Rogers (Self Concept Theory) client-student - centred (‘turn to human being’ – a new person who would not want to control the whole world, but to improve oneself and one’s own relationships toward other people (values of the whole humanhood), managing own life, individualized approach, self-development, development of the child personality, verbal assessment...
• constructivism: freedom, critical thinking
BIBLICAL ANTHROPOLOGY – 1
“includes the description of man, in his original condition before the fall, in his fall, and as fallen.
It begins with the creation of man, discusses his essential parts, his fall, and especially treats of the doctrines of sin and free will.
Christian anthropology shows that human beings are both: part of creation (eg. we are largely – not entirely – determined by nature) and: image of God (eg. we are largely – not entirely – free to choose our worldview)
1. Biblical view of man (human being) takes into account
Biblical ontology (Eternal Spirit ↔ creation) → worship Biblical cosmology (spiritual and physical reality) → J 4;
1Cor 2 Biblical anthropology (imago dei; man&woman; dicho-
trichotomy)
BIBLICAL ANTHROPOLOGY – 2
BIBLICAL ANTHROPOLOGY - HOW TO USE IT
1. Christian (ontological) dualism an existence in “two worlds”
binding time and eternity
separation means death
the unity of being – always dealwith the whole person
values derived from ontology
WORSHIPING GOD IN EDUCATION
Matthias Bel (1684 – 1749)
“You, Jesus, are the source of my teaching.”
IS THERE A GUARANTEED METHOD?
Larry Crabb The Pressure is Off!
The new way! The Bible calls it the new way of the Spirit. In the New Way, the pressure’s off.
