JOURNAL OE PSYCHOLOGY & THEOLOGY

2012, Vol. 40, No. 2, 150-154

Copyright 2012 by Rosemead School of Psychology Biola University, 0091-6471/410-730

Integration of Psychology and Christianity: 2022

Jennifer S. Ripiey
Regent University

This paper forecasts changes to the integration of Psychology and Christianity for the next decade. The focus of the paper is on proposals to address six trends that are seen as hope for the future of the integrationist movement: the healthcare crisis, education, research, application, global networks and technology.

Thefuture belongs to those who give the next generation reasonfor hope.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

I believe there are good reasons for hope for the near and distant future of Christian integration. It won't be the same as it has been. Good things from the past may be lost but new good things will be gained in the coming decade. My personal hope is that the community of clinicians and scholars that make up Christian integration are not a ship that is tossed on the sea, but that we set our sail for a set of goals that will enliven us towards the mission to fully integrate Christianity and Psychology. There are 6 areas of work that I think those that are involved in the Integration of Psychology and Christianity need to address for the field to remain relevant and move towards leadership in Christendom and psychology: the healthcare crisis, education, research, application, global networks and technology.

Christian Psychology Solves the Healthcare Crisis I know, you are smirking at this comment. How could the tiny field of Christians in Psychology and Mental health possibly make even a dent in the global healthcare crisis? There was a health crisis in the world in the 1800s that was met with Christian healthcare providers starting hospitals, many of which provide the highest quality healthcare even today. That healthcare initiative began out of a sense of Christian mission. Today's healthcare crisis could be addressed through local free or low-cost clinics in churches that sit mostly empty all week around the country. Even offering half a day a week to a mission like this can revitalize a tired Christian psychologist, dentist, nurse or doctor, give a new sense of mission to a local church in doing outreach that is desperately needed, and provide care for the poor and needy. Christian health professionals do not have to go to Haiti or a location of a recent earthquake to make a difference. They can do it in their own community on a regular basis. I propose that Christian integrationists need to move beyond academic and cognitively addressing differences between psychology and Christianity and do something practical for the world. There are amazing opportunities to meet needs from the health care crisis through ministry organizations and churches. The primary care psychology field is one area that is certain to be the future of psychology. Primary care psychology provides health and mental health services within a primary care setting to prevent disease and promote healthy behaviors in individuals, families and communities (definition from www .primarycarepsychology.com). Christian psychologists could be the organizers, administrators, and mental healthcare providers while medical professionals provide further medical care. Many of the healthcare problems that are most difficult and costly for society involve poor self-care such as
150

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jennifer S. Ripley, Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.), Regent University, 1000 Regent University Dr., CRB 161, Virginia Beach, VA 23464. E-mail: jennrip@regent.edu

RIPLEY

151 working hard and achieving good early indicators such as accreditation. Several undergraduate Christian Universities have been ranked high in academics as well. Yet there are still areas of education that need attention. For Christian integration to move forward the "seedbeds" for Christian integration in the educational environments must continually strive for high quality students and faculty, conduct relevant research and engage in service projects. With the resource strains on Universities this may be difficult. The C C C U and local institutions have worked hard to keep high quality, train new faculty in the field and retain the best and the brightest students and faculty. There is sometimes a cost for those faculty or students who could be accepted into high quality "Research One" institutions where grants, accolades and opportunities are more plentiful. In the next decade I propose the following: 1. I propose several Christian undergraduate programs partnering with graduate programs to create an environment of opportunity for research and community projects that would rival the best state schools. This would require leadership of a team of faculty to design research projects, and some investment on the part of institutions. Yet there are practical rewards too of shepherding promising undergraduates into graduate level study and providing opportunities to undergraduate programs beyond their current capacity. 2. I propose more cooperation between faculty in the Christian doctoral programs in collaboration with faculty from state schools for collaborative lines of research that can have an impact on the larger field. 3. I propose focused efforts at Christian psychology conferences on excellence in the teaching of psychology and training of Christian psychologists at all levels with a focus on Christian institutions but attention to the Christian professor at a state/ non-Christian school as well. Integrative Research Agenda While empirical research relevant to Christian integration exists, there is a relatively small pool of people around the country who are regularly engaged in programs of high quality empirical or qualitative research on integrative issues. Many of these people are late in their careers. In a scientific field, such as psychology, research is the basis of legitimacy. There are many barriers

with diabetes patients, obesity or dementia. Healthcare problems have spiritual implications for people's lives and communities as well. If the primary care psychology movement could be applied to local clinics within churches and Christian ministries this lowers the barriers for care even further, as well as employing an important local partner in care with those in ministry. Christian psychology is uniquely positioned to create these partnerships with knowledge of the settings in communities most conducive for a clinic. Practicing Christian psychologists also have an incentive of growing the practice of mental healthcare in their local community in order to grow their own practice more than general healthcare providers. Bachelors and masters-trained mental health specialists could provide essential case management to patients who are non-compliant with healthcare recommendations. Partnering with local churches provides a spiritual resource for those willing to receive prayer and pastoral care for their problems. This model of service could take the lead in Western culture and be readily adapted to developing countries as well. So much of the outreach available to a community is piecemeal, or specific to a particular discipline such as nurses doing health screenings. The church could be relevant as a permanent resource for the community. To put "feet" on this idea I propose that there be a joint conference between Christian mental healthcare (CAPS, AACC), Christian social workers, Christian dentists, and Christian doctors and nurses to address the healthcare crisis from a Christian perspective. The Christian Medical and Dental Association could be a key partner. The ideas from a conference like that could germinate to create models and mechanisms for local application, and the all-important relationships between professionals needed to turn the ideas of outreach and solving healthcare problems to practical solutions tailored to the local community. Christian Integration in Education The best psychology education available should be found at Christian academic institutions. When education can be embedded in a larger understanding of God's working in humanity, then psychology is even richer a field of study. Christian students are looking for a way to understand who they are as a Christian in an environment where they will be supported and encouraged to address issues of faith in self-exploration, training, clinical work and research. Established programs in Clinical Psychology have achieved indicators of success in the field that help to legitimize their standing in the larger field with younger programs

152

INTEGRATION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY: 2022

to this including Christian programs that primarily train clinicians, Christian professors who are heavily tasked in teaching and service to meet pragmatic demands of a University, and few ftinding opportunities for integrative research. Yet I think there is hope that a focus on the future would be worth an investment. 1. I propose that Christian Universities invest in small but high quality Ph.D. programs aimed at producing academics who can contribute significantly to the scientific literature on Christianity and Psychology. Even a dozen good researchers a year would revolutionize the field. 2. I propose Christian Universities select a few promising early career researchers and protect them from tasking so that they can contribute to the field. 3. I propose there would be communication with applied settings (Christian practices, churches open to psychological research) to provide relevant research resources to the applied setting and create opportunities for researchers to access participants. The "old fashioned" listserv could be an excellent resource for this. 4. Research funding opportunities will have to be creative for Christian integrative areas of research. Yet there are grass-roots opportunities, church-based, and large donors very interested in the things that many Christian psychologists study: children and faith, forgiveness, parenting and marriage, healthy sexuality, communitybased missions work, church-based interventions, humility, Christian virtues, and more. There is the potential of creating a funding source for both research and community action projects in Christian psychology through a donors source. This would require a small team of people willing to invest in creating this resource. Make Christian Psychology Applied Christian integration needs to be more applied. A student of mine recendy stated that Christian psychology organizations are comprised largely of older Caucasian men discussing issues no one else cares about but them. There is a threat that Christian psychology becomes an irrelevant odd society of people who only serve each other. The history of Christian integration has largely focused on philosophical and theological issues that are most relevant to their own subculture to try and create a kind of "systematic theology" for psychology.

This is not the future. While philosophy and theology will always be an important minor note in the field, the major melody needs to focus on things relevant to the field of psychology, Christendom and society. Students and early career practitioners are interested in doing acts of great service, addressing important cultural problems, and pushing the envelope of change in the world. If Christian professional organizations would instead organize opportunities for service such as international mental health mission trips to serve mental health or training needs, bring groups together to develop important resources for communities in need, and connecting those in need with those who have resources they would become more relevant than their secular counter-parts. I propose a reversal of priorities in all of the Christian professional organizations. The first priority should be acts of service to people and communities in need facilitated through the organization. This can be as diverse as the needs and resources of the organization but could involve partnerships with developing psychology internationally, creating effective resources for churches and communities, networks of believers in prayer and Christian discipline for the needs of mental health providers and practices, developing primary healthcare clinics within churches, and providing case management for people in communities that fall through the cracks of the mental healthcare system. I believe this would gain the attention of the larger mental healthcare and psychology profession and Christian psychology could be a leader in the field in service. This could be a non-profit outreach type of entity. The second priority would be continuing education to equip Christian mental health professionals and professionals in life-long training for excellence. There is a place for journal articles, conferences and local continuing education events to equip professionals. I believe there are two areas of focus for continuing education that would be further the field in the next decade. Eirst, there are thousands of Christians who have no training whatsoever in Christian integration. They did not attend Christian colleges and haven't read the literature. Or they haven't kept up with the current literature and are vulnerable to mistakes especially in high risk situations like treating people who struggle with their faith and same sex attraction. I suggest that Christian psychologists organize an online (easily accessed) "mini-Christian integration" course for professionals in the field already to give them the essentials of the field that have developed in the last half-century. Second, the mental health fields need to have ready and

RIPLEY

153

high quality continuing education in addressing important issues relevant to integration. All mental health providers need to be well-versed in addressing diversity with clients. All educators need to understand the needs of students of various faith traditions, and train their students in issues of faith. Researchers need to be trained in assessing and studying religious variables. The Christian integration community has much to offer here and can create continuing education for clinicians, academics or researchers of any faith that need this training. The third priority would be to continue to provide a network of professionals who support one another and organically create professional works through their association. The warmth of the relationships that people experience through professional associations translates into the society through which other priorities are met. Christian Psychology Goes Global Partnerships between American and International Christian psychologists are crucial. Some forwardthinking leaders have been involved in creating and maintaining relationships with leaders in international settings in psychology. The rise of the middle class in developing countries indicates that there will be increased need for psychologists to address needs around the world. Even countries that are not Christian often have more in common with Christian psychology than secular psychology due to values similarities rooted in religious orthodoxy. I believe there is a one-decade opportunity to position Christian psychologists as consultants in the development of international psychology. Afier that time most international academic programs and clinicians will become true professional "siblings" in most areas. Western psychologists should not plan for the current state ofpsychology to continue indefinitely with Western ideas and values leading. I believe within a decade there will be leading centers of research in psychology based in countries that are just beginning to develop psychology today like Brazil, China, the Middle Eastern countries, and India. Before I retire I suspect that the theories, research and ideas in psychology from these countries will become mainstream in American psychology as well. I propose that all Christian psychologists should network with similar professionals from another country and create online social network forums to exchange ideas, whether academic ideas, research ideas or clinical ideas. These forums can become the basis for clinical, outreach, or academic projects. Wouldn't it be great to have an international guest speaker in a class on Skype? I believe clinicians would highly value consult-

ing with a professional from another culture when a clinical situation arises and help clinicians think "outside the box" on client problems, as well as the obvious consultation when working with immigrants in psychotherapy. To adjust to various technology issues around the world I suggest that the "tried and true" listserv concept would be the place to start with, as well as forums like Facebook. This can take some time to develop and be perceived as worthwhile. Yet psychologists and mental healthcare providers who are ahead of the curve on this will find themselves well-adjusted as the globalization ofpsychology and the mental health professions arrives by 2022. Technology 2022 Technology brings opportunity. As I surfed websites from the last couple of years with experts on the future of technology I am struck by how biology, environment and healthcare are the focus of the future. If psychology is not seen as relevant to these areas of living then the entire field ofpsychology, much less integration, will have a difficult time remaining relevant. Those areas are not areas that have been a focus for Christian integrationists in the past. It's time to catch on. One exception is Nootropics (using medication like Ritalin for enhancement, not treatment), an area that Christian psychologists need to be ready to address in terms of ethics and practicalities. There are high school students who are using technology to invent, creating truly cutting edge medical breakthroughs, and creating simple DNA testing laboratories (see Google Lab Science Fair for high school students). Other sciences are moving ahead because the youngest generation can access it. Psychology and mental health research is not easily accessed by young geniuses. The "smartest kids" are drawn into medical research, astronomy or physics. For psychology, and especially integration ofpsychology and Christianity, to advance there is a severe need for projects that young "whippersnappers" can engage in of interest to them to solve problems they understand. There are problems relevant to our field that need to be well-defined by Christian psychologists. They include just a few of my own ideas, some of which have a good research "start" and some are unstudied: 1 ) Addressing problems of morality and sexuality. Can morality have a place in a society in terms of sexual constraints? What are the psychological, health and spiritual effects of "hooking up" casual sexual relationships on individuals and society? What factors predict young people

154

INTEGRATION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY: 2022

2)

3)

4)

5)

gaining perspective of their lives a decade in the future and delayed gratification for the sake of their future family? How does attachment play a role in pre-marital sexuality? Addressing diversity issues around religion. What religious ideas relate to bigotry, racism and hatred? What religious ideas relate to a healthy multi-religious society? Are there education and persuasion interventions that religious groups can take to prevent cross-religious violence or other problems ? The biological bases of religiosity. Is there a lack of a "level playing field" in terms of religiosity? What biological factors seem to predict the ability to understand, engage in, and practice a religion? How does religion work in the minds of young children and the elderly or brain-disordered ? What are the effects of religion on healthcare and prevention? The very beginning of research on religion and healthcare indicates that in general religious people are more healthy. But why? This leads to many questions about the mechanisms, practices, beliefs, social factors and other unknown factors that predict better health in people who are religious. In a global society with sky-rocketing healthcare costs, prevention and management of health problems through natural mechanisms such as religious ideas and organizations could be a true solution to a global problem. I believe young people could be equipped to answer this question. What are the effects of religion on marriages and families? While young researchers may not be able to easily engage in studying psychotherapy, they can study people and religion in marriages, families and other contexts. There are few researchers who examine religion and parenting, marriage, re-marriage, or families helping dependent elderly family members. There is considerable pressure on families as they are increasingly smaller in most societies but still have to care for one another throughout the lifecycle. Christian psychologists and young researchers can tackle these questions and capture some of the brightest minds in America to study psychology.

I propose that Christian psychologists partner with business entities to encourage promising young high school and college students to study psychology and religion with awards in forums such as the Google Science Fair. Psychology has tended to be technophobic, avoiding risk, and lacking foresight in entrepreneurial opportunities with technology. While the business fields have been on the cutting edge of technology, mental health practice has lagged behind... even more behind than general health practice in most settings. Within 10 years everyone under 40 will have grown up with a constant presence of the web, cell phones, texting, blogs and wireless access in their lives. The entire field of psychology can become irrelevant to half of the world without full technological revolution. This is a threat to the very concept of mental health practice if psychologists and mental health practitioners insist on maintaining the 50 minute meeting in an office as the primary applied setting for mental health practice. Practicing psychologists should be ready for the online patient. Even popular magazines (Woman's Day July 2011) are recommending getting some "coaching" for life's problems through online contact with a mental health provider. While ethics are important, irrelevance is a serious threat to psychology in general. Christian integrationists can take the lead on these issues in professional forums, staying on the edge of what is coming in the future or be left behind. In conclusion, I believe there is hope for the future of Christian integration. There are many opportunities and people with great minds and willing hearts to take this community into the next decade and beyond. I hope that this special issue will be a starting point for the ideas that will translate into action and steer the ship of Christian integration forward towards a new decade of solving problems, educating well, excellent application for global change with the seamless use of technology as a tool. Author Information
RIPLEY, JENNIFER, S. Address: Regent University, 1000 Regent University Dr, Virginia Beach VA 23464. Title: Professor ofPsychology. Degree: Ph.D. Areas of specialization: Marriage and religion, forgiveness.

Copyright of Journal of Psychology & Theology is the property of BIOLA University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.