The first was "The Seven Storied Thomas Merton" by Dr Robert Royal. A Trappist Monk, Merton became a celebrity with the publication of "The Seven Storey Mountain." Later in his life, he became very interested in Eastern Mysticism as well as promoting various "right on" causes in the 60s and 70s which have led to him being dismissed by many. Dr Royal is quite frank in his criticism of some of Merton's views but retains a respect for him as an outstanding writer and, with caution, a guide to mysticism.
The second lecture was by William Coulson, entitled "Full Hearts, Empty Heads." Coulson worked with the influential psychologist Carl Rogers in the 1960s and has since repented of the enormous damage that was done within the Church by their introduction of psychotherapeutic techniques in sensitivity groups for healthy individuals. The influence of their thinking has been pervasive in Catholic circles, together with the thought of Abraham Maslow. Coulson has some harrowing accounts of the harm that was done by the promotion of "values clarification" in the classroom.Coulson is fair and balanced in his assessment of Rogers and Maslow as people, and in the motives of the various projects in which they engaged. Nevertheless, his critique, coming from a "convert" is devastating. The promotion of self-esteem, self-actualisation, values clarification, and sensitivity groups is still quite widespread in centres of learning within the Church so I recommend the lecture if you can afford $1 to download it (priests can register to get all materials free.) If you don't have the opportunity to listen to a lecture, you could try the following articles:
Carl Rogers and the IHM Nuns: Sensitivity Training, Psychological Warfare and the "Catholic Problem" (Culture Wars)
We overcame their traditions, we overcame their faith (1994 interview)
5 comments:
I heard one of William Coulsons lectures on tape a few years ago and found it brilliant, although quite upsetting. The way Carl Rogers manipulated people by just centering them on themselves is why we have the selfish society of 2007. What was most disturbing was how teaching stratagies became value free. Everything was good as long as you were happy - the result being muddled children who have now grown into even more muddled and self centred adults. How on earth do we reverse the harm done by these Psychologists? Another brilliant author is Dr.Paul Vitz - also a psychologist - all is not lost.
Fr Tim
I have a three tape set of Coulson's on values clarification, the dangers of sex education, 'too much psychology' and so on.
One of the remarkable things about it is the high respect in which Dr Coulson still holds the late Carl Rogers, whilst at the same time being extremely critical of his views and the experiments they undrtook - fascinating stuff.
The tapes are available from Christus Vincit Productions.
I have recently left group therapy after two years. In many ways I found it helpful to talk about feelings of neurotic guilt and let go of them. I am glad that I did it.
However, there are certain assumptions regarding sex and morality that can be subtly influential. I started to feel that my Catholicism and my struggles to live chastely were seen as morbid escape mechanisms by other members of the group.
Furthermore, there is a sense that some people see all feelings of guilt and shame as neurotic: pangs of conscience can and should be talked away.
I'm really glad that I took part in the group - it was tremendously healing. However, I can see that if I had uncritically carried on and accepted some of the assumptions in the group I might very well have lost my faith.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Coulson and Rogers tried an experiment which used psychotherapeutic techniques on people who did not have any neuroses. When these people ended up with problems they did not have before, Coulson began to see that something was deeply wrong.
I am glad that the therapy helped you without undermining your faith. You are perhaps in a good position to understand the damage that such a group might do to a good young teenager by calling into question values that had helped the young person to lead a good life.
Thank you, Father. On reflection I am glad that I purposely did not touch on matters of my faith except to talk about it's positive effects on my life. The one time I did voice my difficulties I felt that for some of the others my Catholicism was just another inhibition to be "worked through".
If there is such a thing as a 'modern religion' then it is one that encompasses the belief that "being oneself" is of paramount importance and that God is only definitively to be found "within". To worship a transcendent God is seen as a mark of "alienation" in the sense that Feuerbach and Marx spoke of. To be conscious of sin is a symptom of an overactive superego and little more.
Unfortunately, as a convert to Catholicism this new theology - in varying degrees - is the one that greets many newcomers to the Church through the RCIA, workshops, and retreat houses.
I'm very grateful that some inner instinct - or perhaps some grace - has guided me from reading books by the Linn's and trying to reinterpret Christ's words in Scripture by the "light of psychology" to praying the Rosary and reading Scripture trusting that He knew what he was talking about.
Post a Comment