Christian Perspectives

Philosophy of Christian Counseling
- How to Choose a Counselor
  
  All around us, voices are crying out from the ruins of a crumbling society. Victims are everywhere. Even in the churches, among second- and third-generation Christians as well as the newly saved, there are many suffering people. Distraught by broken relationships, unsettled emotions, or uncertain goals, they naturally seek professional counsel, and such counsel is easily found. Within reach are pastors, lay counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and others. Of these, who is best able to help?
  - one lesson
    - The intellectual context of modern psychology
    - Freudianism
    - Behaviorism
    - Rogerianism
    - Marks of untrustworthy counsel
      - Failure to acknowledge Satan and his angels
      - Failure to exalt the power of God
      - Openness to excuses
      - Indifference to sin
      - Applause for the expression of negative feelings
      - Belittlement of achievement
      - Support for rebellion
      - A preference for escapist solutions
      - A hedonistic philosophy of life
- Critique of Dobson's Film Series Focus on the Family
  
  Although in recent years James Dobson has done valuable work in crusading against such social evils as pornography, he has never, to my knowledge, repudiated the unscriptural teaching in the film series that catapulted him to stardom.
  - one lesson
    - The strong-willed child
    - Shaping the will
    - The parenting of older children
    - Body consciousness
    - Teenage lust
    - The female dilemma
    - The male dilemma
    - Gospel ministry
Philosophy of Christian Education
- Promoting a Balanced Growth of the Whole Person
  
  Philosophy is the study of truth fundamental to understanding reality and meeting its demands. In a secondary sense, philosophy is a system of thought emerging from such a study. Since, by definition, truth lies at the core of philosophy, it is evident that the term cannot properly be used of any system of thought infused with error. Thus, we should regard the expression "Christian philosophy of education" as redundant. There can be no philosophy of education except it be Christian.
  - lesson 1: Guiding Principles
    - Progressive education
    - Resurgence of Christian apologetics
    - Shortcomings of Christian schools
    - The Biblical mandate
  - lesson 2: Goals
    - Intellectual maturity
    - Physical maturity
    - Spiritual maturity
    - Social maturity
  - lesson 3: A Schedule of Courses
  - lesson 4: Assessment of Educational Practice
    - Rationalistic assessment
    - Empirical assessment
      - Pilot trials
      - Field trials
    - Regression analysis
    - Outcome-based education
    - Academic freedom
Philosophy of Christian Music
- Music for the Lord: A Defense of Forty-Eight Standards for Christian Music
  
  One sign of the decay in Christianity is its failure to resist recent trends in so-called Christian music. During the last generation, the music made for a Christian audience has shifted dramatically toward a popular sound with blatant elements of jazz and rock. As a result, the special music in many churches today is no longer recognizably sacred, but could with different words be played in a night club. The music targeted for Christian homes is even worse. The recordings available in a Christian bookstore may be as raucous as the Top 40, and a broadcast on Christian radio may offer the same groans, thumps, and wailings heard elsewhere on the dial.
  
  The reason today's music for a Christian market is youth-oriented and closely imitative of worldly styles is not hard to find. Most of it is made by business ventures under secular ownership and control. The energizer of such companies as EMI, Sony, and Warner is, naturally, the profit motive. In all their decisions they seek no goal except money.
  - lesson 1: The Present Crisis
  - lesson 2: A Godly Source
    - Principles
    - Standards
  - lesson 3: A Godly Message
    - Principles
    - Standards
  - lesson 4: A Godly Style
    - Principles
    - Standards
  - lesson 5: A Godly Excellence
    - Principles
    - Standards
  - lesson 6: Final Thoughts
Christian Philosophy of Literature
- An Unreliable Compass: A Critique of The Golden Compass
  by Wes Rickard
  
  A few years ago, a movie entitled The Golden Compass was released to theaters. From New Line Cinemas, the same company that produced The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it featured an all-star cast and won popular success, especially with youthful audiences. Although we have not seen the movie, we are issuing this warning to parents because we do know the content of the book that the movie is based on. Parents should be aware that the book blatantly attacks a Biblical world view.
  - one lesson
    - Playing the serpent
    - Beware of the Christians
    - It's just fantasy, isn't it?
    - Unlabeled poison