Summer Reading: Episode 3
The Kingdom of Self by Earl Jabay.
A wonderful look at human egoism, from a minister who also has a psychology degree. I think this book achieves that delicate balance between the study of the physical and spiritual that's so hard to get when dealing with mental issues (the author served as chaplain in a mental hospital--very interesting stuff). He warns against trying to mix psychiatry and religion, and really, argues against both of them as idols. What we need, he says, is God, and he didn't realize that until ten years after his ordination. He also speaks about how he used to rely only on the mental and behavioral sciences when dealing with mental patients, but had to stop because it was doing no good, and was forced to find alternative methods.
He goes very in-depth examining the human tendency of vanity, in everything, from birth until death, from both theological and psychological standpoints. Overall, I found it quite insightful and containing a good deal of wisdom (God should not be the copilot. You should be the copilot. Let God do the flying). Very worth the time to read.
A wonderful look at human egoism, from a minister who also has a psychology degree. I think this book achieves that delicate balance between the study of the physical and spiritual that's so hard to get when dealing with mental issues (the author served as chaplain in a mental hospital--very interesting stuff). He warns against trying to mix psychiatry and religion, and really, argues against both of them as idols. What we need, he says, is God, and he didn't realize that until ten years after his ordination. He also speaks about how he used to rely only on the mental and behavioral sciences when dealing with mental patients, but had to stop because it was doing no good, and was forced to find alternative methods.
He goes very in-depth examining the human tendency of vanity, in everything, from birth until death, from both theological and psychological standpoints. Overall, I found it quite insightful and containing a good deal of wisdom (God should not be the copilot. You should be the copilot. Let God do the flying). Very worth the time to read.