What is at the root of the problem of humanity? Is it pride or lack of self-esteem? Do we love ourselves too much or too little? The debate about the human condition has often been framed this way in both theological and psychological circles. Convictions about preaching, teaching, marriage and child rearing, as well as politics, social welfare, business management and the helping professions, more often than not, fall on one side or the other of this divide. With theological and psychological insight Terry D. Cooper provides trenchant analysis of this centuries-long debate and leads us beyond the usual impasse. Humanistic psychology has often regarded traditional Christianity as its archrival in assessing the human condition. Cooper demonstrates how the Christian doctrine of a sinful and fallen humanity sheds light on the human condition which exhibits both pride and self-denigration. Bringing theological insights ranging from Augustine and John Calvin to Reinhold Niebuhr together with the psychological theories of Freud, Jung, Carl Rogers, Gerald May and Karen Horney, Cooper guides readers through the maze of competing claims to a resolution which affirms Christian conviction while critically engaging modern psychological theory. A model of the proper integration of Christian theology and the discipline of psychology, Sin, Pride & Self-Acceptance will be of special help to students and practitioners of psychology, pastoral counseling and clinical psychology.

'Grace for the Injured Self' informs the reader about how 'self psychology' developed by Heinz Kohut (1913-1981) can be an influential theory for pastoral care. Kohut affirmed that religion is not only an expression of the self, but can also sustain the self in the alliance between faith and grace, with self psychology and empathy. Terry D. Cooper, EdD, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at Webster University. He has authored or co-authored eleven books. Robert L. Randall, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ, now in private practice. He is the author of seven books and numerous articles. Terry Cooper and Robert Randall articulately explore Kohut's psychoanalytic perspective of self psychology, orientated towards pastoral care. The authors ascertain how the human condition is affected by 'self injury', and the relationship between this and the traditional notions of sin. Two interviews with Kohut, never before published in the UK, give the reader unique insights into the psychoanalyst whom many regard as the most important figure in psychology since Sigmund Freud. ' "Grace for the Injured Self" is a clear, readable, and down-to-earth introduction to the self psychology of Heinz Kohut. It demonstrates the practical relevance of Kohut's central ideas for understanding ourselves and our relations with others. It explains how mutual expressions and acts of empathy enable our lives to reflect more fully the essence of the human spirit. It also shows how attention to the conflicting self-issues of the pastor and congregation may produce fundamentally positive changes in their life together. Personal interviews with Heinz Kohut on religion and the courageous life are an added bonus. A gracefully written book by two thoughtful and perceptive self psychologists'. Donald Capps, Professor of Pastoral Psychology, Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary

From natural catastrophes to horrific human violence to death- dealing social systems, evil calls out ever more dramatically for explanation and understanding. Yet despite millennia of reflection, no consensus has developed on the character and dynamics of evil. This masterful survey volume composes a framework that separates out for analysis the many dimensions and aspects of the question of evil and then interrogates the best philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and social scientists of the last one hundred years on the question. Cooper's interdisciplinary focus captures insights from theology, philosophy, and psychology and overcomes the ghettoization of the question. His clear distinction of evil in natural, personal, and social realms allows readers to sort through the many layers and mechanisms of evil and the helpful perspectives that illuminate our world today.

"Religious Thought and the Modern Psychologies has pioneered the broader and deeper critique of psychological theories and practice. Informed by hermeneutical theory, Browning's widely acclaimed work drew much-needed attention to the ethical and metaphysical, even religious, assumptions that underlie present-day psychology. It has been deeply influential in many social sciences, in addition to the fields of pastoral counseling and practical theology. In this much-needed second edition, Browning and his new co-author show how the field of social science has indeed grasped and appropriated the hermeneutical approach, though with only slight appreciation of the religious dimensions of the social scientific endeavor. Browning and Cooper provide a completely new first chapter, newly situating the discussion, and update the core chapters of the book. They also add two new chapters, carrying the dialogue on with three new psychotherapeutic theorists, then with new evangelical writers on the relation of theology and psychology. This new edition, like its predecessor, will set the stage for the religion-psychology dialogue for years to come.