How prevalent is homosexuality? What causes it? Is it a psychopathology? Can it be changed?
Questions like these often accompany discussions of homosexual behavior. For answers we naturally look to scientific studies. But what does the scientific research actually show? More important, what place should this research have in shaping the church's response?
Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse ...
Is it possible to be an ex gay? Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse present social science research on homosexuality designed to answer the questions:
"This volume explores the intersection of psychology and theology, but it is not a simple intersection. It is an intersection affected by rich theological and ecclesiological traditions, by the ravages and wonders of modern psychology, and by the character and qualities of today's ministers and communities of faith." (from the introduction) For two millennia Christians have been caring ...
While most people throughout history have believed that we are both physical and spiritual beings, the rise of science has called into question the existence of the soul. Many now argue that neurophysiology demonstrates the radical dependence, indeed, identity, between mind and brain. Advances in genetics and in mapping human DNA, some say, show there is no need for the hypothesis of body-soul dualism. ...
Adolescence is a time of individuation--children are slowly finding their identity as adults, separate from their parents and other adult influences. Such a critical time of psychological development is complicated by cultural influences that shape their expectations of adulthood and color how they relate to other people and even God. The task of the youth pastor becomes to help adolescents navigate ...
Pornography is powerful. Our contemporary culture as been pornified, and it shapes our assumptions about identity, sexuality, the value of women and the nature of relationships. Countless Christian men struggle with the addictive power of porn. But common spiritual approaches of more prayer and accountability groups are often of limited help. In this book neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers ...
Have you ever wondered how egalitarian and complementarian marriages play out differently on a day-to-day level? In this unique book Aída and William Spencer and Steve and Celestia Tracy, two couples from the differing perspectives of egalitarianism and soft complementarianism, share a constructive dialogue about marriage in practice. They cover a variety of topics like marriage discipleship, headship ...
Jack and Judy Balswick offer a vision of marriage that is both profoundly spiritual and thoroughly practical. Drawing insight from Christian theology and from social science research, the Balswicks bring together their years of teaching, writing and being married to each other to produce a book of faith and wisdom for facing the challenge of marriage in the twenty-first century.
Will God allow me to divorce my abusive husband? Would it be a sin if I remarried? Divorce and remarriage are major pastoral issues facing every church. Yet when we turn to Scripture for guidance, we often hear conflicting messages about its teachings. David Instone-Brewer shows how, when properly understood, the New Testament provides faithful, realistic and wise guidance of crucial importance ...
When serious injury or wrongdoing takes place, we cry out for justice to be done. At the same time, Christian faith calls for forgiveness and mercy. But forgiveness is often seen as letting people off the hook. Is it truly possible to forgive a betrayal, a rape, a genocide? How can Christians forgive without excusing wrongdoing? Psychologist and leading forgiveness researcher Everett Worthington ...