Before I ever studied Psychology (the study of the mind), I received my Master's degree in Theology (the study of God). Ever since, I have been fascinated with the integration of Theology and Psychology. My foundational belief for this integration is that all truth is God's truth. Therefore, however truth is uncovered, it is still truth and, for my purposes, usable and valuable. So, for example, an atheist could conceivably uncover some morsel of truth. The fact that he or she would be unlikely to attribute this truth to a God they do not believe exists, nonetheless does not make it less a truth.
If you follow me on Facebook, then you might remember that I have before written that the fact that the Buddha discovered Mindfulness, so to speak, does not mean he invented it; no more than Isaac Newton's discovery of God's law of gravity makes it his invention. In both cases, they belong to God. So, as I have studied the Buddhist psychological concept of mindfulness, I view it separately from the religious notions of Buddhism. In other words, integration is the attempt to parcel out that which is in tune with God's truth. I should hasten to mention here that another foundational belief I hold is that the Scriptures are the "revealed Word of God" (not my notion, but Scripture's claim about itself), and therefore the source of truth whenever it speaks. I use Scripture, then, as a sort of sieve through which I can filter psychological notions to see what "pans out" as consistent with revealed truth. This brings me to my point of this musing (bet you thought I'd never get there).
As I study the interpreters of the Buddhist concept of mindfulness to us Westerners, I attempt to separate that which seems to align with Biblical truth from that which does not. This is a primary reason I (as well as most of the interpreters of mindfulness to a Western mentality) distinguish Buddhist psychology from Buddhism (as a religion). For instance, I am a great fan of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddist monk from Vietnam Nam. He, in my opinion, is one of the clearest interpreters of mindfulness to the Western world. But when he speaks of Buddhism in the more religious sense, I depart ways with him. I do not, however, throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. Whatever truth about mindfulness survives the sifting process, is therefore usable and valuable to me.
I will speak to the many values of mindful living in a near future blog. But, let me make this one important (at least to me) distinction that for me mindful living has served to enhance my conscious contact with God, and therefore my overall spirituality. This single benefit alone has made my own personal study and practice of mindful living beneficial.
Originally posted Apr. 8, 2014 on Dr. Allen's Musings
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