by Scotty Cameron, Assistant Fire Chief, Volunteer Chaplain, Nouthetic Counselor
Theological liberalism and progressive Christianity are not new threats to the church in the Western world. Since the eighteenth century, enlightenment tension has grown and at times surfaced to a point of reckoning.[1] During the early nineteenth century, the modernism and fundamentalist controversy severed denominations as schisms formed, and the vast majority of the mainline Protestant churches adopted the theologically liberal ideologies and philosophies of modernism.[2] As many historic seminaries like Princeton adopted modernism and rejected orthodoxy, many others like Westminster and Fuller were newly founded on fundamental theological assertions.[3] The majority of churches and denominations in North America would stay this course until the 1970s when the resurgence of conservative Christianity developed stronger Baptist and Presbyterian denominations and gave cause for them to establish new seminaries and Christian universities. As this theological revolution birthed evangelicalism, political conservatism grew, and many took hold of a nominal Christianity, embracing republicanism and morality with religious fervor, while neglecting to embrace deep biblical theology.
Hungry for the Spirit of Truth, during a time of moderate to weak theological understanding, en masse, many flocked to TV evangelists and the Charismatic experiences of the Jesus Movement.[4] Megachurches exploded, while other smaller community churches continued to decline. The church growth movement of the 90s gave a new hope for reaching the neighborhoods of Small Town USA by making the church and its messages more palatable and seeker friendly.[5] While many watered down scripture and the gospel, by the grace of God many other Christian leaders, writers, and speakers were faithful to scripture. Still, at the turn of the century, the false prosperity theology spread, promising health and wealth, while in other cities deconstruction of fundamentalism began to feed the fire of the emerging church.[6] Now in this post-modern era, the church is fighting for truth at every juncture. The threat of liberal theology and progressivism is at an all-time high as proponents succumb to cultural and societal pressures, rejecting orthodox doctrines of Christian faith.[7]
Institutions of higher education have continued to be a battleground. Theological education has not been exempt from the conflict. Many seminaries have attempted to adapt to contemporary contexts and incorporate diverse perspectives to accommodate cultural or societal pressures. However, this has resulted in a theological landscape that is often fragmented and disjointed, with students encountering conflicting ideas and perspectives that are not always reconciled. This incongruent theology can lead to confusion and a lack of clarity in understanding the nature of God, the role of the church, and the purpose of a distinct theological education.
Almost six years ago, in the last semester of my bachelor’s program in religious studies at the largest Christian university in North America, I began examining what master’s program I wanted to pursue. My university was on the top of my list as I considered seminary. Since I was a veteran, they served me very well with their military affairs office, and I had no complaints regarding the education or instruction I had received thus far. Like any college student, I suppose, I underwent many changes as my beliefs and views were challenged. I was confronted by the Spirit in the areas where my own theology was incongruent, and what I wanted most in not only my faith, but also my education, was congruence.
Vocationally, I am a firefighter and love helping others work through problems of all magnitude. A mentor of mine discussed what he saw as my gifting and helped me compare a few available programs. I was quickly convinced to study to become a Christian counselor, so applied to my university’s master’s program of "Pastoral Counseling." Certainly, I didn’t fully understand the broadness of Christian counseling, nor did I understand what integrated or biblical counseling was. I liked my school and still do. They have many appealing programs and fantastic professors. Once accepted, I got to work.
I remember taking my first introductory courses and not quite realizing how far a chasm existed between the text books I was required to read and my understanding of what Christian counseling consisted of. It truly was a slow unmasking, but as time went on, I only got more confused.
The "Christian" counseling curriculum and books opened up my eyes to the vastness of counseling. Yet, psychodynamic counseling theories from Freud, Jung, and Erickson seemed to fall short. Behaviorists like Pavlov and Skinner appeared manipulative or corrupted. Humanists Rogers and Maslow contradicted my understanding of a Christological anthropology. Worse, much of what I learned felt almost anti-Christian at times. Certainly, there was truth in these mainstream counseling theories, right? Isn’t this evidence of God’s common grace? Was it "Christian" enough to use these theories while just blanketing it with Jesus's name or elements from our own moral church culture? I felt this growing tension as I completed courses in marriage and family therapy, spiritual formation, and pastoral counseling, which seemed to be rooted in secularism yet branded in Christianity. It seemed incongruent. Asking questions of various professors, I was presented the work of Collins, Johnson, and Clinton. All were magnificent at their craft, compelling writers, intelligent, and passionate. Still, I wasn’t satisfied.
Looking for answers, I turned to the internet. As late as it was , I started researching the various movements of Christian counseling. I found and bought Jay Adams’s Competent to Counsel and read through it over the course of a week. Adams’s words leaped off the page as his arguments for Christian, or more aptly nouthetic, counseling reigned clear and true. As I dug into Powlison, Lambert, and Kellerman, I gained remarkable clarity. I knew I wanted to pursue biblical counseling wholeheartedly. I wanted to be part of this movement, especially within my own specialty of crisis and trauma. I fully intended to take what I had experienced first-hand from within the military and first-responder world and what I wanted to be equipped to do with biblical counseling to serve not only Christ’s body but also my brothers and sisters I knew who were suffering and, without knowing any better, turning to secular psychology for help and hope.
Feeling too late to change programs or universities, I was forced to reckon my own decisions. More than ever, I was convinced to pursue counseling. Now knowing what it was called and what they intended to do , could I have confidence to affirm, or at least participate within the beliefs of my integrationist university? I didn’t believe I could bear the contradictions and lack of congruence. I dug my trench and began going to war. Increasingly, I became ever more critical of every piece of literature, book, and author and relentlessly attacked the curriculum with every paper and discussion board post, trying to make my point clear. I felt alienated in my convictions and position.
Then finally in the summer break of that year, I met a young man whom God would use to deepen my convictions and encourage me in faithfulness. Josiah and I met at work and immediately hit it off. He was an eager student of biblical counseling and largely led me to the equipping ministries of CCEF and the IBCD. We shared conference notes and articles. We held late conversations over coffee as we discussed the various ways scripture speaks into different aspects of life and living it to His glory. The Lord guided our conversations, and through our time together, illuminated truth after truth from scripture. By God's good grace, I finally had a peer and a brother who would challenge me to stand firm in my faith, but he also challenged me to defend it in gentleness. Sure, by this point I was convinced biblical counseling was far superior in every way to any other form of psychology, including an integrated Christian psychology. But I wasn’t faithful. I was prideful, and this pride led me to discouragement as I regretted time and time again not attending a different college, thinking how much "more effective" I could be, or how successful my future ministry and counseling could be, if only I had gone to another school. I put off reading some of the text books and neglected certain assignments, putting in the bare minimum in a proverbial strike. I was ready to disenroll completely from my MA program and restart elsewhere. Then I remembered Josiah and me reading Philippians 2 together.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (ESV)
I read this verse and fell to my knees. I knew the goodness of biblical counseling and the encouragement that comes only from Christ. With His love and the participation in the Spirit, I knew my affection and sympathy could bring much hope and healing to my fellow service members and veterans. With misguided passion, I was fighting the institution, but this isn’t what the Lord required as He cut deep into my heart to reveal my sin.
I had pursued biblical counseling in selfish ambition. I wanted to prove my classmates and professors wrong. I was prideful in my superior knowledge and assumed I knew the secrets of ministering scripture. Thank you, God, for being long-suffering and patient with me.
Truthfully, to be faithful to the biblical counseling movement, to scripture, the gospel and Christ, I had to be humbled. I wouldn’t change this giant university's opinions on Christian counseling, but God could, and may someday, as He determines how He will be glorified in and through them. I had to put my interests aside, empty myself, and take on a role of servitude toward my classmates and professors, just as Christ had modeled. Yes, I still held my positions, and I discussed and wrote honestly and openly about the biblical counseling movement. Lovingly and patiently, I reviewed and critiqued the authors and works that pushed for integration. I prayed that my classmates and professors could see the merit of biblical counseling, and how scripture seeks to transform lives at their heart, which only it can do. I still pray the leaders of this university will embrace scripture as "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV). Ultimately, I rediscovered why I had sought biblical counseling to begin with—so that God and the work of Christ could be highly exalted, that every knee should bow and tongue confess that He is Lord.
So, my advice for future students also committed to biblical counseling? Well, first seek out God's wisdom in your selection of a place you should study. Thoroughly examine the programs, books, and professors to ensure they are fully inline and congruent with the totality of scripture. Don’t rush into this decision. James 1:5 (ESV) says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." We must believe this. It may be that God's plan is that you participate in a wonderful university that has fully embraced the totality of the biblical counseling movement. We should praise God for his work in convicting the leadership of these universities and seminaries to hold such a position against the majority. Yet, many great Christ-loving, fundamentally orthodox, doctrinal, and excellent universities are in fact pushing integrated Christian psychology, and God may place you in that context to labor and toil for the benefit of your fellow student and the professors alike. You may be the faithful servants to help change the tide and bring light to biblical counseling and the dangers of integrationism. Pray God will give you wisdom. He will.
Should you choose to enter into a university with a "Christian" counseling program, understand it will be frustrating and you may be tempted toward bitterness and pride or other wrong attitudes. Be wary of these things, and pray the Lord may prepare your heart to serve our brothers and sisters in truth and love. Participate in God-glorifying debates and discussion on the topic. Stir others unto good works by sharing the resources of the many organizations and individuals associated with the biblical counseling movement. Promote the authors, books, and articles that highlight the beauty and complexity of biblical counseling, but do so with humility. We seek unity in the church, to be of one mind, and that is the mind of Christ. We cannot find unity by tearing one another down but rather by building one another up.
We know full well the enemy continues to threaten our places of learning and to degrade the walls between biblical truth and secularism. Yet, as students, our faithfulness will not be measured by our success in changing our universities’ opinions on or programs of Christian counseling. Our faithfulness will be measured by how we are quick to listen and slow to speak or grow angry (James 1:19). When we do have the opportunity to speak, it will be measured by how uncorrupted our talk is, how it is meant for building up, and how it is used as a vehicle of God's grace (Ephesians 4:29). When we must wait, we should do so prayerfully, praying for our professors and members of the universities' leadership. So, akin to 1 Timothy 2 (ESV), "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."
by Scotty Cameron, Assistant Fire Chief, Volunteer Chaplain, Nouthetic Counselor
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[1] G. Connor Salter, "How Did the Enlightenment Impact the Church?," Christianity.com, May 17, 2021, https://www.christianity.com/wiki/history/how-did-the-enlightenment-impact-the-church.html.
[2] Muether, John R. "The Fundamentalist Modernist Controversy." Tabletalk , 2020. https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2020/05/the-fundamentalist-modernist-controversy/
[3] James H. Moorhead, "Princeton Seminary in American Religion and Culture," The Gospel Coalition, 2013, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/princeton-seminary-american-religion-culture/.
[4]Kurian, George Thomas, and Mark Lamport (Eds.), 2016. The Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
