Modern Psychopathologies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal

Modern Psychopathologies is addressed to students and mental health professionals who want to sort through contemporary secular understandings of psychopathology in relation to a Christian worldview. Written by well-known and respected scholars, the book, in nine core chapters, provides an introduction to a set of disorders along with overviews of current research on etiology, treatment and prevention. Prior chapters give a context for the integration of Christianity and the scientific study of psychopathology, and articulate integrative themes discussed throughout the book, providing a foundation for the concluding vision for Christian health professionals and the church. This is a unique and valuable resource for Christians studying psychology and counseling, or providing counseling services, pastoral care, Christian healing ministries or spiritual direction. Though fully capable of standing on its own, it is also a useful companion volume to Modern Psychotherapies by Stanton L. Jones and Richard E. Butman.

"This is a comprehensive and well-written book on the modern psychopathologies, containing distinctively Christian perspectives on themes such as pastoral care, sin and psychopathology. I highly recommend it as an integrative text to be used in courses on psychopathology as well as on integration."--Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary

"The authors of Modern Psychopathologies have given us a book that is the first of its kind. Never before have we had a comprehensive text addressing the Christian implications of the wide range of emotional disorders we see all around us. The book includes in its discussion of current diagnosing approaches a review of how authors throughout church history have discussed these conditions. The book also includes material about treatment, prevention and related scriptural material. Students of abnormal psychology and the art of diagnosis will benefit from this useful and readable companion text."--James R. Beck, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling, Denver Seminary

"This book provides Christians in the helping professions with a solid scaffolding for integrating Christian doctrine and practice with psychopathology. The authors deal masterfully with the thorny and complex problem of the relationship between sin and psychopathology as well as the related issue of responsibility. This book combines the best and most recent advances in the understanding of psychopathology with the richness of Christian thought on human suffering, helping to create a vision for a Christian response that moves beyond symptom reduction to flourishing. I highly recommend this book to pastors and therapists seeking to more thoughtfully address human brokenness in all its varieties."--M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall, professor of psychology, Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University

"Books on psychopathology are a dime a dozen. However, no other volume takes into consideration the centuries-old tradition of the treatment of the mentally ill by priests and pastors as well as carefully thought-out applied theologies relating sin to human frailty. When these considerations are combined with a definitive survey of contemporary theory and research, we have a seminal volume that will be a standard for years to come. I cannot think of a volume that better balances tradition with practice."--H. Newton Malony, MDiv, Ph.D., Senior Professor, Graduate School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Over the past century, the church and the behavioral sciences have sometimes been at odds over the causes and treatments of mental disorders. This work offers a well-reasoned rapprochement that takes seriously the long tradition of pastoral care and counseling within the church as well as the increasing body of knowledge being amassed in the biopsychosocial sciences."--Randolph K. Sanders, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and former Executive Director of Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS)

"Finally! A comprehensive Christian perspective on abnormal psychology. This book is grounded, insightful, biblical, practical, accessible--and long overdue. Everyone interested in exploring psychopathology from a Christian worldview will relish reading this updated edition of the book."--Les Parrott, department of psychology, Seattle Pacific University, author of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts