The Kerygma's Psychology and Human Distress

Abstract

Not alone by its enemies, but by those of its own household the Gospel has been discarded as an irrelevant instrument in the recovery of persons suffering any form of human distress. The present emphasis is upon social amelioration and social service; the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is regarded as a crude bribe and a false excuse for real help. This point of view is due to a partial diagnosis of the human situation. Thus the social stance fails to discern the psychological instruments of therapy applied by the Gospel, which in this paper are expounded as (a) restoration of equilibrium (by overcoming doubt, guilt and fear); (b) mobilization of inner forces; and (c) inspiration of the urge to self-maximization.