American Protestantism In — The Age Of Psychology

Sermons began to focus less on "wrath" and "judgment" and more on "self-esteem," "healing," and "wholeness."

But this merger hasn't been without its critics. Some worry that by focusing so much on the self , we’ve lost the focus on the divine . They argue that when the Gospel becomes a self-help manual, it loses its power to challenge us. The Bottom Line American Protestantism in the age of psychology

In the early 1900s, many conservative theologians viewed psychology as a "secular threat." They feared that explaining human behavior through biology or childhood trauma would make the concept of sin obsolete. Sermons began to focus less on "wrath" and

By the 1950s, the "Peace of Mind" movement was in full swing. Figures like Norman Vincent Peale (author of The Power of Positive Thinking ) began blending biblical principles with psychological self-help. The goal shifted from escaping hell in the afterlife to finding happiness in this one. 2. The Rise of the "Therapeutic" Gospel The Bottom Line In the early 1900s, many