Do Christian concepts and principles have a place in academia? A case study in integration

Abstract

[Abstract]: Australian psychologists have sometimes been reluctant to incorporate religious issues into their teaching. While the reasons for this reluctance are sometimes well-founded (e.g., a desire not to impose religious values on students), the omission of religious content can also have negative consequences (e.g., inadequate preparation of psychology graduates to deal with faith issues that arise in therapy). In this paper, it will be argued that religious issues can be successfully integrated into the teaching of psychology, provided certain safeguards are met. In particular, a case study will be provided of a course entitled “Religious Issues in Counselling” that was successfully taught in a psychology department at a secular university over a five-year period. As census figures indicate that Christianity is the main religion endorsed by Australians, Christian concepts and principles made up the bulk of that course and will be the main focus of this paper. The advantages and challenges associated with teaching such a course will be outlined, and future directions and implications for the teaching of psychology will be considered.