Karen Allen Course: Case Study - Psychology, Christianity, & Levels

This case study examines a scenario through the lenses of psychology and Christianity, highlighting their differing approaches to understanding and addressing mental health issues. The assignment analyzes the case study's symptoms, exploring diagnostic interpretations through the 'levels of explanation' framework in psychology, which includes biological, physiological, and sociocultural factors. It contrasts this with Christian perspectives, emphasizing spiritual and theological interpretations, such as naturalism and the role of faith and community. The study references how psychology initially borrowed from theology and how the teachings of Christianity can offer alternative healing programs, advocating for the importance of life, social connections, and faith as components of well-being. The paper also discusses how both disciplines, despite their differences, can offer insights into the subject's condition and potential treatments.

The matrix of “Psychology, Christianity” and the “Levels of Explanation”
The conditions expressed in the case can be seen from two points of views; the first point of
view is related to the psychology where scientific concepts and evidence-based practices can
be administered to understand the biological changes that are taking place. This approach also
indicates towards “normalcy” that should be gained by the subject with the help of clinical
interventions and regular sessions of the consultation. However, when we have a look at this
approach to inflict a treatment on the subject from a theological point of view or the point of
view of Christianity, then we need to undermine the scientific approach for a while (Lavey,
2013).
How psychology explains it and how Christianity may have a different opinion
When we analyze the case study symptomatically and try to figure out a diagnostic with the
help of the “level of explanation” we find that psychology identifies it as reductionism. It
gives us the structure of a pyramid, the first ladder is connected with the biological
expression of the feeling, the second ladder belongs to physiological explanations where an
individual applies the same set of emotions under a cognitive framework and compares his or
her internal states with the environment around it. The third state is the state when an
individual tries to draw some social and cultural explanations to his or her personal thought
processes (Kosits, 2013).
Prior to comparing two different streams of education, psychology and Christianity we
should never undermine the fact that almost three centenaries ago, psychology as a subject
was heavily borrowing concepts from the books of theology and popular literature. The
advent of realism in the stream of literature and the development of neurology in connection
with the physiology are two turning points that gave rise to psychological theories. It is an
inexact science (Sisemore, 2019). The teachings of Christianity, on the other hand, explain

spirituality and levels of explanation in a different tone. It preaches naturalism. It states that
“human beings are none but imperfect impressions of the God; the lifetime awarded to us is
an attempt to purify ourselves and create an impression closer to eternal impression” The next
step is an immersion into the perfect source of light from where our imperfect impression has
come up.
When anyone assumes that the lady involved in the case study is sick because she is losing
her physical strength under the bout of depression. Then the framework of reductionism
instructs an expert to give her medication and a “counseling session that can motivate her to
take the things in an easy stride (Lavey, 2013).
The teaching of Christianity can also do the same thing, the subject thinks that she is
exploring and feeling her connection with Jesus Christ. A priest can explain that Jesus Christ
and biblical sermons always advocated about the supremacy of life and the zeal of life over
any other emotion. Although the subject says that she has no suicidal tendencies, however,
her lack of participation in the social circle tells us that somehow she is disconnected from
society. The customs of Christianity also ensure a social behavior for an individual and this is
where she can be motivated to join the social circles (Sisemore, 2019).
Recently many psychologists approved the concept of religious faith as an alternative healing
program for the mentally ill people. The current problem can also be considered under the
intertwined matrix of the levels of explanation as described in psychology and Christianity.

Bibliography
Kosits, R. (2013). WHOSE PSYCHOLOGY? WHICH CHRISTIANITY? MJTM (101-95),
https://www.mcmaster.ca/mjtm/documents/Volume13/13.MJTM.101-95-Kosits
%20workedAug27[1]diagrams.pdf.
Lavey, P. (2013). Psychology & Christianity: Five Views. Pierced,
https://piercedblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/psychology-christianity-five-views/.
Sisemore, T. (2019). Counseling and Christianity: Five Approaches. Denver Seminary,
https://denverseminary.edu/resources/news-and-articles/counseling-and-christianity-
five-approaches/.