The angry Christian : a theology for care and counseling / Andrew D. Lester.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lester, Andrew D.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Anger--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Anger.

Pastoral counseling.

Pastoral care.

Physical Description:

xi, 308 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Louisville, Ky. : Westminster John Knox Press, [2003]

Summary:

The Christian tradition has long held that anger is sinful and to be avoided, but respected scholar Andrew Lester argues that the capacity for anger is one of God's good gifts. Here, Lester incorporates the newest behavioral research models, biblical and theological scholarship, constructivist philosophy, and narrative theory into a pastoral theology of anger. Comprehensive and critically important, The Angry Christian will be of help to Christian caregivers and counselors, to clergy, and to all individuals looking to understand the experience of anger.

Contents:

Introduction: The Problem with Anger 1

The Church and Anger 2

What's the Problem? Anger Can Be Destructive 4

Constructing a Pastoral Theology 9

A Map of the Journey Ahead 11

Limited Perspectives 14

Part 1 Thinking about Emotion

1. The Significance of Emotion 19

The Philosophical Case against Emotions 20

The Postmodern Recovery of Emotion 22

Neuroscience and Emotion 27

Neuroscience and Pastoral Theology 33

2. The Christian Tradition and Emotion 35

Emotion and the Bible 36

Historical Factors Affecting the Christian Tradition 40

A Word from the Theologians 43

3. Theological Reflections on Emotion 54

Emotion and Embodiment 55

In the Beginning

Emotion 57

Created in God's Image 57

The Gift of Emotion 58

Head and Heart: A Wholistic Approach 60

We Are Responsible for Our Emotions 62

Part 2 Understanding Anger

4. Anger or Aggression? 67

Science and Aggression 67

Aggression as Life Force 73

Theological Reflections 74

5. Where Does Anger Come From? The Neuroscience Contribution 77

The Brain and Anger 77

The Significance of Memory 81

Anger and Fear 82

A Capacity, Not an Instinct 84

The Threat Model of Anger 84

The Flexible Brain 85

Science in Process 86

Contributions to a Pastoral Theology of Anger 87

6. Why Do People Get Angry? A Constructionist Narrative Perspective 90

Constructivist and Constructionist Theory 91

Narrative Theory: Life as Story 95

A Constructionist Narrative Understanding of Anger 97

The Freedom to Change Narratives 100

Identifying and Changing Dominant Narratives from the Past 102

Contributions to a Pastoral Theology of Anger 108

Part 3 A Constructive Pastoral Theology of Anger

7. Why Is Anger One of the "Seven Deadly Sins"? The Christian Tradition 115

Dominant Narratives and the Formation of Tradition 115

Anger in Christian Theology: The Early Church 121

Anger in Christian Theology: The Reformers and Beyond 129

Twentieth-Century Theologians 133

Contributions to a Pastoral Theology of Anger 135

8. Biblical Perspectives: The Alternative Story about Human Anger 137

Stories in Hebrew Scripture 138

New Testament Stories 142

Contributions to a Pastoral Theology of Anger 147

9. The Anger of God and Jesus 150

Was God Angry? 151

Was God Abusive? 153

Why Was God Angry? An Expression of Love! 157

Jesus' Anger 160

Contributions to a Pastoral Theology of Anger 166

10. Toward a Pastoral Theology of Anger 169

Embodiment 170

Anger Is Rooted in Creation, Not in Sin 172

Created in God's Image 173

Anger as Gift: Blessed by God 176

Anger Is a Moral Issue 177

Freedom to Choose 179

Personal Responsibility 181

Part 4 Dealing with Anger: Christian Care and Counseling

11. Anger as Spiritual Ally 189

Anger and Hope 190

Anger and Courage 193

Anger and Recovery of Self 195

Anger and Intimacy 198

Anger as Idol Detector 200

Anger as a Guide toward Self-Understanding 202

12. Compassionate Anger 205

Anger and Love 205

Good Christians Should Be Angry 206

Compassion and Anger 212

Love Should Direct Anger 218

Christian Care and Counseling 221

13. Handling Anger Creatively 226

Recognizing Anger 227

Acknowledging Anger 229

Demobilizing the Body 231

Identifying the Narratives That Are Threatened 232

Evaluating the Validity of the Threat 236

Transforming Narratives 238

Changing Previous Patterns of Dealing with Anger 241

Creative Expressions of Anger 243

Christian Care and Counseling 247.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-293) and indexes.

ISBN:

0664225195

OCLC:

50906075