Nepheshiology, The Theological Approach To Psychology
Psychology is a very innovative study of the human mind and human behavior. Its systemic study is generally broken down into the following branches:
1. Parapsychology
2. Biological Psychology (Biopsychology)
3. Clinical Psychology
4. Behavioral Psychology
5. Educational Psychology
6. Abnormal Psychology
7. Cognitive Psychology
8. Comparative Psychology
9. Cross Cultural Psychology
10. Developmental Psychology
11. Experimental Psychology
12. Forensic Psychology
13. Health Psychology (medical psychology or behavioral medicine)
14. Personality Psychology
15. Social Psychology
Although many would disagree with this listing of the branches of Psychology, for the most part this list represents the full spectrum of the psychological system of study. The fields of psychology are similar with a few slight variations in the list represents what is generally practiced within the psychological field of study. This list is as follows according to Kendra Cherry (https://www.verywell.com/fields-of-psychology-2794900):
1. Abnormal Psychology
2. Biopsychology
3. Clinical Psychology
4. Cognitive Psychology
5. Comparative Psychology
6. Counseling Psychology
7. Developmental Psychology
8. Educational Psychology
9. Experimental Psychology
10. Forensic Psychology
11. Health Psychology
12. Human Factors Psychology
13. Industrial/Organizational Psychology
14. Personality Psychology
15. School Psychology
16. Social Psychology
17. Sports Psychology
Each of these specific fields represent a study of emphasis that psychologist enter into as a specialty because of the vastness of the study of psychology. According to Cherry, these fields of study are just a few of the fields of psychology. With knowledge of the mind increasing and ever expanding the field of psychology will also expand.
The church must now understand behavior from a perspective of scripture and theology. It is not that Psychology has not made very important strides in understanding human behavior but there must be an extension of these innovative and modern breakthroughs concerning psychology that are applicable to the biblical basis for understanding the human mind, if the Word of God is truly the record of God concerning the origin of man as well as the record that explains the nature of man in his fallen state.
It is the theological understanding of man that will explore the nature of sin and sinful behavior. By sin it is understood to mean the missing of the mark of God's expectations for human behavior as well as understanding what His expectation for behavior is for those who know Him and are born again. The theological aspect of man should not conflict with the psychological aspect of man if indeed psychology is the study of human behavior. Is human behavior uniquely different as it pertains to fallen mankind and renewed (born again) mankind. Is there a further understanding needed to come to the awareness of a pneumatic process as it relates to the born again believer? What are those dynamics that are at the heart of the spiritual nature of those who are now born again? This is what the area of Nepheshiology seeks to ascertain. One such field of study that Essencology utilizes to discover such information is the "Theology of Man" It is this theological field of study that explores man as the creation of God. In so doing Nepheshiological explorations of the Theology of Man the construction of the mind of man from a biblical point of view is considered and what these constructions truly mean. A branch of Essencology that seeks to substantiate the biblical theme of the study of man and his cultural and social interactions is Anthroapologetics.
Can psychology be explored from a biblical approach and yet be sound and reliable? Essencologists and Nepheshiologist believe so. Unless there is a theological approach to understanding this phenomenon it will be hard to understand such phenomenon as:
1. Demonic Possession
2. Demonic Oppression
3. Demonic Suppression
4. Demonic Depression
Continued research is very important in the understanding of spirituality and the issues that may occur within the minds of those who are seeking to become spiritual persons who are both stable and balanced mentally and emotionally.
