Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Thu, 16 Apr 1992 05:49:55 EST
From:         Kerry Stephenson <KSTE@PURCCVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Feminist theology/little god movement

Darryl:

I would be very interested in the psychology text you mention, and I would
like you to expand a bit on your view of Jungian psychology in particular.
The reason for this is that a large part of what is now called "Christian"
psychology uses Jungian concepts, rather than Freudian, for example.  This
appears to be, at least in part, a result of the Freud/Jung split on the
issue of religion.  Jung being at least willing to accept the notion of
a knowable Supreme Being is seen as somehow more "appropriate" to
Christian counseling.  However, it seems to me that this is a cheap and
easy way of adapting an essentially secular mindset and then tacking
the term "Christian" onto it.  My recollection of Jung (somewhat dim,
since I switched out of my original psychology major almost--good grief!--
TEN years ago?  Is that possible? Sigh.  Yes.) is that Jung's personal
contacts with the "other world" were somewhat odd, and decidedly unChristian.

However, some of Jung's concepts, such as the notion of "race memory" (if I'm
remembering the term correctly) are useful in working with the kind of
spiritual warfare-type issues that are all the rage in pop Christianity
these days.

I wonder also if you would mind commenting on the usage of such approaches
as transactional analysis and hypnosis in a classroom context.  It is my
understanding that a good deal of the values clarification cirricula
being widely distributed explicitly mentions these techniques in the
teachers' manuals (though not in the student materials, for obvious
reasons.)  I am not referring here to values clarification exercises
that Christians have explicit difficulty with, such as the "lifeboat"
game.  Rather, I am wondering about the types of sessions where, for
example, elementary school children are encouraged to "experience"
rage, disappointment, depression, and so forth, in order to achieve
some sort of cathartic release.

Also, with regard to hypnosis, could you please clarify what elements
must be present for an activity to qualify for that term.   Is it enough
to induce some type of guided imagery relaxation, or must there be some
other form of suggestion involved, some kind of trance state created?
From your posting to Marty on the subject (I think it was Marty; it's
hard to keep track), I am wondering exactly when we should be alerted
that hypnosis is being done.  For example, if a child reports that
the lights were dimmed and the children were asked to assume a particular
physical posture to induce relaxation, should that be a warning sign?  Or
should we look for something more explicit?

Also, if you have time--and I realize that it is nearing the end of the
semester, and you may well not--I would be interested in your reaction
to the tesimony (Congressional hearing-type, not salvation-type) reported
in a book called "Child Abuse in the Classroom" by Phyllis Schlafly.  It
is my observation that some of what she is outraged about is mere discussion
and poses no threat Christianity.  However, a good bit of it does
disturb me because it appears to report the use of hypnosis in the classroom
and of transactional analysis on groups of children (perhaps as many as 30
at one time).  From what I know of psychoanalysis, even its practitioners
admit that it should be done in a controlled environment, by a qualified
practitioner, ideally on an individual basis.  I find the use of "group
therapy" on large groups of children in the classroom to be dangerous and
foolish, even from a strictly secular point of view.

Thanks.
                                       Love INC,
                                                ---Kerry
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