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Essays on Counseling
Brand new Book
265 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1986
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About the author
Jay E. Adams
230 books147 followersJay Edward Adams is a Reformed Christian author. He has written over 100 books and these have been published in sixteen languages.
He received a Bachelor of Divinity from Reformed Episcopal Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Johns Hopkins University,a Masters in Sacred Theology from Temple University, and a PhD in Speech from the University of Missouri.
Adams' book Competent to Counsel launched the nouthetic counseling movement, a movement whose aim was to use strictly biblical counseling methods. He is the founder of the Intitute for Nothetic Studies.
He received a Bachelor of Divinity from Reformed Episcopal Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Johns Hopkins University,a Masters in Sacred Theology from Temple University, and a PhD in Speech from the University of Missouri.
Adams' book Competent to Counsel launched the nouthetic counseling movement, a movement whose aim was to use strictly biblical counseling methods. He is the founder of the Intitute for Nothetic Studies.
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August 22, 2024
IS MENTAL ILLNESS A "SMALL UMBRELLA" THAT AFFLICTS ONLY A FEW?
Dr. Adams has written other books such as 'Competent to Counsel,' 'The Christian Counselor's Manual,' 'The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image,' 'What about nouthetic counseling: A question and answer book,' 'Coping with counseling crises, 'etc. [NOTE: This 1972 book was originally published as Big Umbrella: And Other Essays and Addresses on Biblical Counseling.]
He wrote in the Preface, "[This book] is a selection of essays and addresses adapted from lectures and articles... I have purposely attempted to retain the extemporaneous and sometimes quite informal flavor of the original speaking situations. The articles cover a variety of subjects, all in some way having to do with counseling... A more systematic textbook for counselors is presently in preparation."
He begins by stating, "All sorts of people, then, have been labeled mentally ill. My thesis is that you who are ministers of the gospel must not be content with these current conditions. You must not condone the practice of confusing illness with behavioral deviation... You must take out of the rack an entirely different umbrella, a much smaller one, for that big umbrella is the product of a wholly wrong concept... There is a much smaller umbrella that legitimately might be labeled mental illness; but it is very small, almost minute, in comparison to the Freudian umbrella." (Pg. 4)
He argues, "I say that the psychiatrist has usurped the work of the physician, but mostly the work of the preacher. And he engages in this work without warrant from God, without the aid of the Scriptures... Thus he seeks to change the behavior and the values of people in an ungodly manner." (Pg. 8)
He summarizes, "I must tell you something about the biblical idea of nouthetic confrontation. Fundamentally it means this: God is using one man to confront another verbally about something that God wants changed for the benefit of the individual who is confronted. Many of the persons Paul confronted would be labeled mentally ill today... 'Nouthesia' is plainly directive counseling; it involves the application of biblical principles to concrete life situations." (Pg. 12-13) Later, he adds, "'Nouthesia' has at least three elements in it... Always there is the idea of something wrong that God wants changed in the person who is confronted. Secondly... making an attempt to effect the change by the use of appropriate verbal means. Thirdly, the change is contemplated for the benefit of the one who is confronted; his welfare is always in view." (Pg. 132)
He recalls, "I counseled for a summer at two mental institutions... That experience was a revelation... I found out that great numbers of them were there because of their sin... Some were there because of sexual tangles; others had fled from the Income Tax people who were breathing down their necks. Many were there simply because it was easier to live inside than to assume the responsibilities that are on the outside... they were running from something or someone. Some were taking a cheap vacation from the housework and children, lolling about on green slopes, letting the state pay their way. It was relatively rare to meet anyone who were there because or physical or organic reasons." (Pg. 48)
He argues, "There is no biblical reason to think that demonic possession ... can occur in the life of a Christian. The simultaneous presence of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within every true child of God, and an 'unclean spirit' is impossible." (Pg. 120)
These essays will be of great use to Christian counselors as a supplement to Dr. Adams' other, more systematic books.
Dr. Adams has written other books such as 'Competent to Counsel,' 'The Christian Counselor's Manual,' 'The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image,' 'What about nouthetic counseling: A question and answer book,' 'Coping with counseling crises, 'etc. [NOTE: This 1972 book was originally published as Big Umbrella: And Other Essays and Addresses on Biblical Counseling.]
He wrote in the Preface, "[This book] is a selection of essays and addresses adapted from lectures and articles... I have purposely attempted to retain the extemporaneous and sometimes quite informal flavor of the original speaking situations. The articles cover a variety of subjects, all in some way having to do with counseling... A more systematic textbook for counselors is presently in preparation."
He begins by stating, "All sorts of people, then, have been labeled mentally ill. My thesis is that you who are ministers of the gospel must not be content with these current conditions. You must not condone the practice of confusing illness with behavioral deviation... You must take out of the rack an entirely different umbrella, a much smaller one, for that big umbrella is the product of a wholly wrong concept... There is a much smaller umbrella that legitimately might be labeled mental illness; but it is very small, almost minute, in comparison to the Freudian umbrella." (Pg. 4)
He argues, "I say that the psychiatrist has usurped the work of the physician, but mostly the work of the preacher. And he engages in this work without warrant from God, without the aid of the Scriptures... Thus he seeks to change the behavior and the values of people in an ungodly manner." (Pg. 8)
He summarizes, "I must tell you something about the biblical idea of nouthetic confrontation. Fundamentally it means this: God is using one man to confront another verbally about something that God wants changed for the benefit of the individual who is confronted. Many of the persons Paul confronted would be labeled mentally ill today... 'Nouthesia' is plainly directive counseling; it involves the application of biblical principles to concrete life situations." (Pg. 12-13) Later, he adds, "'Nouthesia' has at least three elements in it... Always there is the idea of something wrong that God wants changed in the person who is confronted. Secondly... making an attempt to effect the change by the use of appropriate verbal means. Thirdly, the change is contemplated for the benefit of the one who is confronted; his welfare is always in view." (Pg. 132)
He recalls, "I counseled for a summer at two mental institutions... That experience was a revelation... I found out that great numbers of them were there because of their sin... Some were there because of sexual tangles; others had fled from the Income Tax people who were breathing down their necks. Many were there simply because it was easier to live inside than to assume the responsibilities that are on the outside... they were running from something or someone. Some were taking a cheap vacation from the housework and children, lolling about on green slopes, letting the state pay their way. It was relatively rare to meet anyone who were there because or physical or organic reasons." (Pg. 48)
He argues, "There is no biblical reason to think that demonic possession ... can occur in the life of a Christian. The simultaneous presence of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within every true child of God, and an 'unclean spirit' is impossible." (Pg. 120)
These essays will be of great use to Christian counselors as a supplement to Dr. Adams' other, more systematic books.
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