Psychology & Scripture is a Bible-centered course that examines human behavior, brain functioning, and a Biblical analysis of human beings. Accompanying each unit, students assess an aspect of human psychology with Scripture. Over the course of one academic year, students will study:

• Human Thought, Behavior, & Sin: How does God expect humans to behave? How much of what we do is in our control? Are we a product of our genetics? Where does neuroscience fit with God’s expectation for behavior?

• Personality & the Image of God: What do our personalities teach us about God and ourselves?

• Common Mental Health Disorders & Biblical Counseling: What does the Bible say about      depression/anxiety? Eating disorders? Trauma? Neurodiversity? What does being a friend to someone with these in their background look like?

• Interpersonal Conflict: What does the Bible say about redemption and forgiveness? How does this fit with contemporary psychology?

• Self-Help Culture & Scripture: What do trends in pop culture teach us about human behavior?      How does personal responsibility fit with God’s sovereignty?

• Christianity & Psychology: How should Christians view psychology? What are the different views? How do they impact Christian living?

Using the Bible, textbook, case studies, and self-assessment, students will examine the Biblical view of humanity in light of psychology. With a strong emphasis on self-reflection and personal experience, students are challenged to apply the information in this course to their personal and spiritual lives. Devotional-style Bible reading guides the student’s understanding of the human mind and human behavior from a biblical perspective.

Students can expect homework to consist of reading the textbook, reading Bible passages, journaling, self-assessments, and experiments. In class, students will be assigned to discussion groups and/or work with a randomly assigned partner on a weekly basis. On occasion, students will conduct social or psychological experiments.

This course is designed for high school students aged 14-18.