Customer Reviews

Seeing with New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition Through the Lens of Scripture (Resources for Changing Lives)

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This book is an effort to bridge psychology of counseling with "moral-spiritual" issues (249). Powlison believes that "sinners sin instinctively," and though external factors such as having a dysfunctional family or experiencing childhood abuse can contribute to sinful desires or actions in adulthood, his contention is that "sin is its own final reason" (206). People have sinful thoughts or do sinful acts because they are focused on themselves rather than God (230).

Powlison points out that "secular psychology" views "human problems" simply as "things that are not working right," this is because the Bible was not utilized to understand the core issue of all humans, which is their "alienation from God" (192). He explains that if sin is seen as a "willed action" then "complex inner troubles" will be classified under "other categories" (194). In fact, psychiatrists will not explain that a paranoid schizophrenic is yielding to sin, but rather he or she is experiencing a psychosis. Powlison states that paranoid schizophrenia is a "defensive behavior" and actually refers to it as the personification of "powerful unconscious defensiveness" (193). Powlison explains that the underlying issues for schizophrenics are pride and "hiding" (195).

Powlison admits that biblical counselors are seen as "bizarre spiritualizers" because they rely on God, repentance, and faith as their main focus in counseling (251). He speculated that the premise of Jay Adams (the founder of Nouthetic counseling movement) was not fully understood when he said, "to be feeling-oriented is the central motivational problem in people" (215). Powlison believes that the problem with current counseling practices is that the counselor is seen as "primary" while God (if He is even considered at all in the process) is usually "secondary" (178).

This book has helped me to understand the stance of Nouthetic counselors, and to comprehend the reason why they say sin is the core issue of human disorders. However, I did not get a clear indication of Powlison's position regarding psychotropic medications. Powlison's perspective on counseling is a good start in the right direction, but his book does not outline the direction. There is something missing. To counter society's view of biblical counselors as "bizarre spiritualizers," Powlison suggests, "We have work to do to protect and build up the body of Christ" (251). This is not a solution-it is merely a generalized statement. In order for others to see biblical counselors as competent practitioners, they need to find a way to truly bridge the gap between traditional and biblical counseling.

"Seeing with New Eyes" is the first volume in Powlison's proposed three-volume set on Christian counseling. This first volume he sees as providing the theological foundation for understanding psychological issues from a spiritual, biblical perspective.

The "new eyes" are the eyes enlightened by faith in Christ and restored to sight by confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture to explain life and relationships. "Seeing with New Eyes" offers a theological-intellectual defense of "Nouthetic Counseling" as a biblical counseling model seeking to understand truth about God and humanity through God's eyes as revealed in Scripture.

It is an excellent introduction by perhaps the leading theologian in the Nouthetic Counseling movement. However, the book is also a compilation of many previous articles by the author. Thus at times it reads more as a string of excellent artilces than a tightly woven and thematically consistent book. That aside, Powlison is to be commended for his articulate explanation of the human condition through the lens of Scripture.


Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and the forthcoming "Beyond the Suffering: The Story of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

The title really says it all with this book: we really do need to see ourselves and others with new eyes, with both an accurate paradigm and with individual insight that can only come from Scripture. In this challenging book Dr. David Powlison examines how our "old eyes" tend to see, both through our natural fallen selves and through the warped and inadequate psychological theories that permeate our current cultural (and often "Christian") milleau.
The book speaks to both the reader's personal walk with God and to how we can accurately see and minister to others. Each chapter is on a specific theme, from comfort to worry to God's love to "defense mechanisms." In each Dr. Powlison shares warm and rich insights that are both Scriptural and practical. There are dozens of quotable passages to deeply think through, such as:

Many of the people we counsel live inside a black hole of self-will, misery, and confusion. They need God to break in on their shadowland from which sin has erased the light of the personal and living God.

Seeing With New Eyes is a volume to read, and read again, to fully absorb its God-saturated wisdom and to be changed by it.

Powlison provides a solid analytical expository perspective on counseling that is helpful and insightful. I personally found the last 200 pages much more motivating than the first 58 pages. His exposition of Ephesians 5:21 through 6:9, several Psalms, and Luke 12:22-34 is excellent. Similarly, his annotated list of X-ray questions (chapter 7) is the best I have seen. His biblical analysis of defense mechanisms is extremely helpful as are his chapters on "Love Speaks Many Languages Fluently" and "Biological Psychiatry". To write this book Mr. Powlison patched together a series of articles that he had previously authored. Unfortunately, his book ends up coming across as just that, a patchwork of articles that lack a uniform purpose other than the general theme of Biblical Counseling. If you have an interest in two or three of the topics I have highlighted this book is probably well worth the purchase.

Having read many books from the usual secular self-help and Christian counseling scene this book really shattered most of their half-truths and revealed the wonder of the cross in a totally different light.

I don't think I've ever felt as challenged about my views and motives nor as in absolute awe of what Christ's death on the cross as was revealed by this book. Unlike many books this is not one big idea padded out, this is real meat as each chapter addresses different aspects of our psychology with the sharp blade of scripture.

I just hate it when you're taught things at church and by well meaning Christian friends that are actually so against the beauty of the cross and our ongoing sanctification. I loved that Powlison addressed much of the popular advice and how their small presuppositions lead people off track on big matters. If there's anything this book will do it won't let you finish it with your pride intact.

I would say if you want to know what counseling that is empowered by understanding the bible, God's character and our place in his scheme then this book is my suggested starting point.

For the sake of your ministry, even if you're just a member of a church, please read this book!

Although the chapters in the book were written as separate articles, the unifying theme of Scripture's sufficiency for counseling was clear and unmistakable. Whether it was a chapter which unearthed the truths of Scripture by thoughtful exposition and application of particular passages, or a chapter with a series of heart-searching, sin-exposing questions, Powlison creatively and persuasively demonstrates how Scripture truly is sufficient for counseling others.

Powlison's interaction with psychological, physiological and biological theories of motivation, behavior, counseling and treatment was also very helpful and fair. Although the size and scope of this book required Powlison to often generalize and summarize people, theories and movements, one does not get the impression he is deceitfully stacking the evidence in his favor or guilty of misrepresentation; rather, in laying Biblical truth alongside of popular psychological theory, Powlison demonstrates how any human effort to determine the ultimate cause and solution for people's problems will always, in the final analysis, be insufficient.

Finally, in the last chapter, Powlison encourages us toward simplicity. Although people's problems are often complex, the goal of counseling(Christlikeness) and our means of counseling (the truth of Scripture) remain simple. As Powlison points out, Jesus spoke "exceedingly simple words" (253). This does not mean, however, that we are to use the truth of Scripture simplistically. As we have already noted, people's problems are complex - the varieties of problems are as many as there are people in the world, and applying the truth of God's Word to specific people and situations is hard work. We need to be careful we do not turn "heart-searching and life-altering truth into a cookie cutter, pat answer formula and quick fix" (254). But the clear, simple truth of Scripture gives us words that "call to every person in every time and place," and a "simplicity [that] understands and redeems real complexities; [and] does not erase them, ignore them, or homogenize them" (254). Real Biblical counseling compassionately, thoughtfully and honestly brings the light of Scripture to bear on our sin and our problems, while weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.

This is an excellent book I trust will benefit any Christian who desires to grow in their own relationship with Christ and will be a trustworthy resource for those who are seeking to better minister the Word through counseling and personal relationships. I highly recommend it!

An excellent book that really provides a great sense of perspective. It's not just for counselors but for the layman that's struggling or that counsels friends/neighbors.

I was blown away by reading this book. In America, it's so easy to just adopt the secular world's approach to counseling--trying to help people deal with the issues of their lives in ways that are completely detached from biblical truth. We might attach Christian lingo or practices (praying at the start and end of counseling sessions), but this is failing to recognize that the problem and the solution to anyone's issues should be understood from a biblical perspective. The Bible should be open during counseling times, helping people see the falleness of our world (whether in the mistreatment experienced at the hands of others, seemingly unexplainable sufferings, or their own sinful disposition and behaviors), the solution (through the good news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection), and the motivation to change (an appreciation and love for their Savior). This book truly helped me see counseling--and reality--with new eyes, the eyes of Scripture.

Am really pleased I bought this book. I opened it randomly to the chapter about desires and was immediately engrossed. God often uses various authors and inputs to weave together his lessons to me and He used this book to teach me to rightly discern the thwarted desires that lie at the root of my discontent. I'm very thankful for David Powlison's no-nonsense and hard-driving approach to God's word. I wish all Christian advice books were equally focused on our complete dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit and the atoning sacrifice of Christ.

This book by David Powlison was life changing to me. I have been interested in counseling for decades and am in the process of going to school to become a counselor. Powlison's writings in this book are wise and true. Anyone interested in going deeper into Christian/Biblical Counseling should read this book. His methods are full of grace and gentleness but are powerful enough to radically change troubled lives.