On the basis of a theologically grounded understanding of the nature of persons and the self, Jack O. Balswick, Pamela Ebstyne King and Kevin S. Reimer present a model of human development that ranges across all of life's stages: infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, elder adulthood. They do this by drawing on a biblical model of relationality, where the created goal or purpose of human development is to become a reciprocating self--fully and securely related to others and to God. Along the way, they provide a context for understanding individual development issues--concerns, tensions, worries or crises encountered by the self in the context of change. Awareness of these issues is most pronounced at developmental transitional points: learning to talk and walk, beginning to eat unassisted, going to school, developing secondary sexual physical features, leaving home, obtaining full-time employment, becoming engaged and then married, having a child for the first time, parenting an adolescent, watching children move away from home, retiring, experiencing decline in physical and mental health, and, finally, facing imminent death. Throughout, Balswick, King and Reimer contend that, since God has created human beings for relationship, to be a self in reciprocating relationships is of major importance in negotiating these developmental issues. Critically engaging social science research and theory, The Reciprocating Self offers an integrated approach that provides insight helpful to college and seminary students as well as those serving in the helping professions. Those preparing for or currently engaged in Christian ministry will be especially rewarded by the in-depth discussion of the implications for moral and faith development nurtured in the context of the life of the church.
| |||||||||||||||
 Sell Back Your Copy for $6.87
Whether you buy it used on Amazon for $13.58 or somewhere else, you can sell it back through our Book Trade-In Program at the current price of $6.87.
Used Price$13.58
Trade-in Price$6.87
Price after
Trade-in$6.71 |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The Reciprocating Self offers an outstanding integration of theological anthropology and social scientific theories of human development. The authors demonstrate a hermeneutical sensitivity to the philosophical turn to 'relationality' that has so deeply impacted contemporary discourse, as well as a passionate concern for facilitating transformation in religious communities. Both theologians and psychologists will benefit from this interdisciplinary exploration of the dynamics of reciprocity that shape the relations of human persons to each other in fellowship with the trinitarian God." (F. LeRon Shults, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Bethel Theological Seminary )
"It would be difficult to imagine a book that does a better job of weaving together the very best science on human development over the life course with a reliable Christian theology of the Trinity. This deep integrative writing at the interface of lifespan psychology and theology is extraordinary. Throughout, the book has a wonderful practical emphasis that makes it a remarkable resource for pastoral counseling and for the Christian psychologist. The authors deserve immense credit for creating an integrative vision that will be of great use to the competent psychologist who is also the committed Christian." (Stephen G. Post, Ph.D., Professor, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President, Institute for Research on Unlimited Love--Altruism, Compassion, Service )
"Combining years of experience, breadth of scholarship and theological insight, the authors present a coherent and cohesive new paradigm for understanding the process of human development as simultaneously including social, spiritual and psychological reciprocity of personal being. Drawing upon the relevant theories of human development as well as of current theological reflection on the nature of human personhood as a dynamic 'imaging' of a trinitarian Creator God, this book sets a new base line for the next generation of students and scholars who wish to study, practice and write as Christians who are also caregivers. This book ought to be required reading for those preparing to be Christian-oriented counselors and therapists and must reading for those who already are." (Ray S. Anderson, Senior Professor of Theology and Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary )
"It would be difficult to imagine a book that does a better job of weaving together the very best science on human development over the life course with a reliable Christian theology of the Trinity. This deep integrative writing at the interface of lifespan psychology and theology is extraordinary. Throughout, the book has a wonderful practical emphasis that makes it a remarkable resource for pastoral counseling and for the Christian psychologist. The authors deserve immense credit for creating an integrative vision that will be of great use to the competent psychologist who is also the committed Christian." (Stephen G. Post, Ph.D., Professor, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President, Institute for Research on Unlimited Love--Altruism, Compassion, Service )
"Combining years of experience, breadth of scholarship and theological insight, the authors present a coherent and cohesive new paradigm for understanding the process of human development as simultaneously including social, spiritual and psychological reciprocity of personal being. Drawing upon the relevant theories of human development as well as of current theological reflection on the nature of human personhood as a dynamic 'imaging' of a trinitarian Creator God, this book sets a new base line for the next generation of students and scholars who wish to study, practice and write as Christians who are also caregivers. This book ought to be required reading for those preparing to be Christian-oriented counselors and therapists and must reading for those who already are." (Ray S. Anderson, Senior Professor of Theology and Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary )
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent review of Developmental Theory with a twist,
By
This review is from: The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective (Paperback)
The Reciprocating Self is an excellent source for developmental psychology. I use this as a core text in a human development course I teach in a Christian University's marriage and family therapy program. I especially apprecite the authors' discussion of the values inherent in developmental research and theory. They do this through their identification and discussion of developmental teleology. Through the optimal identification of human development, one may ascertain the values implied in a developmental framework. In the begining of the work, they identify their own developmental teleology relying on Trinitarian theology. Thus they define the reciprocating self as the goal of human development. The remainder of the text reviews and critiques lifespan approaches, i.e., school age children, older adulthood, from their perspective. The focus is on mutual dialogue including both their model and respectable social science. My students have also commented on how easy this book reads.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific book,
By
This review is from: The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective (Paperback)
I enjoyed reading the book and found that its exploration of this particular intersection of psychology and theology was refreshing and practical in my work as a psychotherapist.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
God's purpose!,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective (Paperback)
This book gives a great understand of human development as it reflects upon God's design for interaction. If you are a student, parent, teacher, pastor, this is a great book to get!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
