A Word from Bob 

As I say at the end of this post, these are very preliminary thoughts on a very complex topic: biblical counseling and the body (the embodied-soul). I’ll address these thoughts in the form of 10 questions. 

For a shortened version of this post, that focuses on a book proposal on biblical counseling and the body, see: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied Souls.

Question 1: “Bob, Where Do You See a Gap in Biblical Counseling Literature?” 

Because I collate a LOT of biblical counseling resources (over 1,000 in The Annual Guide to Biblical Counseling, and over 400 in 400+ Resources on Biblical Counseling and Psychology-Related Research), I’m often asked:

• Where is there a glaring gap in biblical counseling literature?

How would you answer that question?

The title of today’s post should clue you in to how I would answer it.

• I’m increasingly convinced that the biblical counseling world has a great need for a comprehensive resource about biblical counseling and the body.

A working title might be:

• Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls

Question 2: “Bob, How Did You Get Interested in the Embodied-Soul and Neuroscience?” 

After Shirley’s stroke, (and here) she and I began devouring books and journal articles on neuroscience and stroke rehab/recovery. We began to learn a lot about neuroplasticity: the amazing God-designed ability for the brain to rewire—“neurons that fire together rewire together.” We’ve applied everything we could from neuroscience to Shirley’s rehab.

I’ve found it fascinating that when I’ve shared with other biblical counselors my study of neuroscience for stroke recovery, they are joyful and glad.

Yet…when some hear that I’m also interested in examining neuroscience applications to biblical counseling, those same biblical counselors can start to get nervous…

That’s one of the reasons, among many, that I’m convinced we need a comprehensive resource on biblical counseling and the embodied-soul.

Question 3: “So, Bob, What Do You Mean by ‘Embodied-Souls’?” 

Matt LaPine, in The Logic of the Body, has done an excellent job meticulously demonstrating that throughout church history, and throughout the Scriptures, Christians have valued comprehensive care for people as “embodied-souls.” Notice that I hyphenate this:

• Embodied-souls

I’m guessing that a publisher/editor would want me to take that hyphen away. But it’s my way of indicating the complex, God-designed, intricate, integrated interworking of:

• Physical/body/brain/bones/glands/nervous system and the metaphysical soul/mind/affections, cognitions, will, and emotions.

Seeing us as embodied-souls could be called “holistic dualism.” I like that term and how it builds upon many passages, including Genesis 2:7:

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

I developed this idea in much greater detail in my 2006 (I’ve been exploring this for a long time) ETS paper:

• A Biblical Counseling Perspective on Neuroscience and the Soul

Question 4: “But, Bob, Haven’t Modern Biblical Counselors Always Addressed Both Body and Soul?” 

To some degree. But we typically have assumed that we can easily dissect what issues are purely/primarily physical and what issues are purely/primary spiritual. We’ve said:

“For physical issues; see a physician. For soul issues; see a soul physician.”

There can be wisdom in that statement—I’ve said it. But it can also be a tad naïve and a bit shallow to assume that most issues are either/or—either of the body or of the soul. More importantly, it can be unbiblical to maintain this either/or perspective, when the Bible and church history clearly and consistently teach the complex, God-designed, intricate, integrated interworking of body/soul (embodied-soul). (See 112 Biblical Passages on Being Embodied-Souls.)

Question 5: “But, Bob, Haven’t Modern Biblical Counselors Quoted Neuroscientists?” 

Yes, but typically BCers have maintained a “co-belligerent” relationship with neuroscientists. What’s that mean? We BCers have often quoted neuroscientists who are anti-neuroscience. Here’s how I described it in my article Biblical Counseling and Scientific Research:

We often quote “a researcher debunking another researcher…. Put another way, we can be prone toward only quoting research that is negative about research. We can have a tendency only to quote research that seems to agree with our preconceptions.”

Alongside this co-belligerent approach, we have tended to pit Scripture and science/neuroscience against one another in an adversarial relationship. We might say:

“A neuroscience biological intervention might involve _______. However, a biblical counselor would address this issue as a spiritual issue of the soul and instead of a neuroscience intervention, we would suggest the following treatment _________.”

Instead, I am recommending an approach where we see the potential for neuroscience findings and neuroscience biological interventions being in a supportive and complementary role—as part of a comprehensive, compassionate biblical counseling approach to caring for the whole person as an embodied-soul.

Question 6: “So, Bob, What Are Your Proposing?” 

Note: For a version of this post that only focuses on the preliminary book proposal and possible Table of Contents, check out: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls.

The writing project I’m proposing would have a positive approach to the potential contribution of neuroscience research for the care of people. In 37 Resources for Counseling the Whole Person: God Designed Us as Embodied-Souls,” I summarized it like this:

• Premise #1: God designed us as complex body/soul beings—embodied-souls (Genesis 2:7).
• Premise #2: God fearfully and wonderfully uniquely designed each of us (Psalm 139:13-16).
• Premise #3: In the Creation/Cultural Mandate, God calls His image bearers to be “under-shepherds” (God is the Great Shepherd) and “under-scientists” stewarding His creation (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:4-8).
• Therefore #1: Biblical counselors—as under-shepherds—will develop and follow a “theological anthropology”—a rich and robust biblical understanding of embodied-souls that leads to relevant and practical counseling that ministers to people comprehensively—as relational (spiritual, social, self-aware), rational, volitional, emotional, and physical beings—embodied-souls.
• Therefore #2: Biblical counselors—as under-scientists—will use the lens of God’s sufficient Scriptures to carefully assess and evaluate neuroscience research regarding the brain/body/soul/mind connection and then will potentially discerningly implement interventions that specifically address our embodied nature.

Notice where we place our ultimate trust—in God we trust. We trust in God’s infinite creative design of our embodied-soul, as we thankfully and carefully study and assess any potential common grace research findings. We trust not in human wisdom, but in God’s wisdom—how He fearfully and wonderfully handcrafted us.

Question 7: “Can You Outline This a Bit More, Bob?” 

Sure. Glad to. The book would be a gospel-centered, theologically-saturated, relationship-focused, church history-informed, neuroscience-research-aware approach to becoming soul physicians of embodied-souls. Here’s a table of contents for Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls.

1. Section 1: A Theological Anthropology

That’s a fancy term, huh? Theological Anthropology. That simply means a biblical theology of how God designed us as embodied-souls. Biblically, a human being is one whole being with a variety of complex functioning capacities—relational (spiritual, social, self-aware), rational, volitional, emotional, and physical—with an intricate, intimate psychophysical interaction.

It would be a theologically-saturated Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation (CFRC) Gospel Narrative of humanity:

• Creation: God’s original design of us as embodied-souls (Genesis 2:7; The God-Designed Embodied-Soul)
• Fall: How sin has impacted us embodied-souls (Romans 8:18-27; The Groaning Embodied-Soul—Fallen, Finite, Frail, Fragile, Failing)
• Redemption: How salvation impacts us as embodied-souls (Philippians 3:7-15; The Grace-Empowered Embodied-Soul)
• Consummation: How glorification will restore us as embodied-souls (1 Corinthians 15:12-58; The Glorified Embodied-Soul)

We build our understanding of people, problems, and solutions from God’s sufficient Scriptures. (For over 100 passages on our being embodied-souls, see: 112 Biblical Passages on Being Embodied-Souls.) We use God’s Word as our lens for assessing all other sources of input about the human condition. The Biblical Counseling Coalition Confessional Statement says this well in this balanced, nuanced section:

“When we say that Scripture is comprehensive in wisdom, we mean that the Bible makes sense of all things, not that it contains all the information people could ever know about all topics. God’s common grace brings many good things to human life. However, common grace cannot save us from our struggles with sin or from the troubles that beset us. Common grace cannot sanctify or cure the soul of all that ails the human condition. We affirm that numerous sources (such as scientific research, organized observations about human behavior, those we counsel, reflection on our own life experience, literature, film, and history) can con­tribute to our knowledge of people, and many sources can contribute some relief for the troubles of life. However, none can constitute a comprehensive system of counseling principles and practices.”

2. Section 2: A Theology of Science, Research, and Neuroscience

Section two would explore vital issues such as:

• How does the sufficiency of Scripture relate to scientific research?
• How does common grace relate to scientific research?
• How does the Creation Mandate relate to scientific research?
• How does the noetic effect of sin (the fallenness of the researchers and of the embodied-persons being researched) relate to scientific research?
• How do we use the wisdom of Scripture to assess and evaluate scientific research in general and neuroscience in particular?
• What are foundational principles of research design, data analysis, validity, peer review, reliability, replicability, etc.?
• How do we assess the potential biases of the researcher and the impact of those biases on their conclusions?
• How do we discern the different potential uses of descriptive research (the data of the research) versus prescriptive research conclusions (the implications that the researchers draw from their data)?

We need clear, biblical thinking that maintains our commitment to the sufficiency of God’s Word and uses God’s Word to assess any other input about human beings. Though somewhat dated—written almost a quarter-century ago in 1999—David Powlison summarized well the foundational role of Scripture and the potential adjunctive role of neuroscience (what he calls “biopsychiatry”):

“First, what God has said about human nature, our problems, and the only redeemer is true. It is true truth. His truth is reliable. What the Bible says about people will never be destroyed by any neurological or genetic finding. The Bible is an anvil that has worn out a thousand hammers. Neurology and genetics are finding lots of interesting facts. New findings will enable good doctors to cure a few diseases, which is a genuine good. More power to them, and we will all be the beneficiaries…. Biopsychiatry will cure a few things, for which we should praise the God of common grace…. But biopsychiatry cannot explain, nor will it ever explain, what we actually are. All people are in the image of God and depend on God body and soul.”

3. Section 3: What Is Neuroscience and Neuroscience Research? 

In an issue like neuroscience and biblical counseling, terminology and definitions are essential. So this section would briefly address questions such as:

• What do we even mean by “neuroscience”?
• What do we mean by “neuroscience research”?
• What is the history and current state of neuroscience research?
• How do neuroscience researchers design, evaluate, and potentially replicate their research?
• What are vital terms related to neuroscience (such as neuroplasticity, the amygdala, the cortex, the thalamus, rewiring, etc.)?
• What do we mean by “neuroscience interventions”? What are examples of neuroscience interventions?

Now, this is not a neuroscience textbook, so these would be brief, user-friendly, introductory explanations—seeking to simplify the complexity without being simplistic. 

4. Section 4: Implications and Potential Interventions

First, build a robust theological foundation. Second, understand and evaluate scientific research. Third, define basic components of neuroscience. Fourth, and finally, seek to derive—under the authority of Scripture—implications and potential interventions that specifically address our embodied nature. As I summarized earlier:

• Biblical counselors—as under-scientists—will use the lens of God’s sufficient Scriptures to carefully assess and evaluate neuroscience research regarding the brain/body connection and then will potentially discerningly implement interventions that specifically address our embodied nature. 

I would envision this as the practical “heart” of the book—what the entire book is working toward. Here you would find chapters on specific counseling issues, written by experts in each area, such as:

• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Anxiety and Worry
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Phobias and Fear
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for OCD
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Depression
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Bi-Polar Disorder
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Schizophrenia
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Trauma/PTSD Recovery
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications and Interventions for Abuse Recovery
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications for and Interventions for Parenting
• Biblical Counseling, the Embodied-Soul, Neuroscience, and Implications for and Interventions for Autism
• Etc., Etc., Etc.

Frankly, each of these chapters could then later be developed into a book of its own…

There are additional practical and ethical considerations to address in this section, such as:

• Who would be qualified to use neuroscience research findings and interventions as a part of comprehensive biblical counseling?
• What level of training, education, experience, and competency would be necessary for someone to effectively and ethically use neuroscience research findings and interventions as a part of comprehensive biblical counseling? What level of training, experience, and competency would make someone legitimately “neuroscience-research-informed/aware” or “clinically-informed/aware”?
• When and with whom would a biblical counselor consult with when considering using neuroscience research findings and interventions?
• Who would be qualified to supervise and/or consult with a biblical counselor who uses neuroscience research findings and interventions?
• When would a biblical counselor consider referring a counselee to someone more qualified to use neuroscience research findings and interventions? For what issues would referral be a consideration? For what level of counselee struggle would referral be a consideration? To whom would a biblical counselor refer?
• Could some level of the use of neuroscience research findings and interventions move the counseling from lay/pastoral biblical counseling to the area/arena of professional/licensed counseling? If so, what might that level be? If so, what are the legal, ethical implications of this?
• Etc., Etc., Etc.

Question 8: “Who Would Write Such a Book, Bob?” 

Perhaps the question could be,

“Who all would contribute to such a book?”

No one person could effectively write such a comprehensive book. It would require a team of people: biblical counselors, theologians, pastors, professors, neuroscientists, medical doctors, legal-ethical experts, researchers…

Question 9: “Could This Really Happen?” 

I don’t know. It would be quite the comprehensive, complex project. At this point, I’m just answering the question:

• Where is there a glaring gap in biblical counseling literature?

And, honestly, I’m 100% positive that I will end up re-writing, editing, changing, adding to, and subtracting from this post. Though I’ve thought about these issues for decades, I have only recently begun to envision what a book on this topic might look like. So…please consider this initial post exactly that—an initial post—my current preliminary ponderings about:

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls.

Question 10: My Question for You—“What Do You Think?”

First, a broad question:

Where is there a glaring gap in biblical counseling literature?

Second, a specific question:

How would you think through, conceptualize, organize, and outline a book on Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Becoming Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls?