Integrating Theology And Human Development Theory Analysis

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In the second chapter of Christian Formation: Integrating Theology and Human Development, James Estep explains the different approaches to integration by using a metaphor of two books. One book represents theory and the other theology. He writes, “It depends on the question being posted. …it is obvious that, on some occasions, one of the two books may have more relevant information” (Estep, 2015, 47). Estep’s logical conclusion about integration is that you need to look for the best answer depending on the type of question being asked. For instance, if a mother wanted to know when a child would begin potty training, she should consult child development theories. However, if she wanted to know how to pray for her child, she would read the …show more content…
This theory focuses on biological growth and cultural expectations. This theory would be helpful to caretakers wanting to know how much independence a child needs to succeed in mastering a task. For example, if a mother wanted to know what age she should begin encouraging her toddler to pick out their own clothes, reading Erickson’s theories would help her understand the importance of autonomy. Understanding her child’s need to develop a healthy sense of self would also encourage her to be more patient when her child spends too much time picking out missed matched outfits to wear to playdates. The last theory, the cultural-age model of development, focuses on how people perceive their roles in their socio-cultural ecosystem. Since this theory is based on social expectations, it would be most helpful when studying different cultural systems. For example, if I was a therapist counseling a Jewish family with a troubled pre-teen boy, I would need to understand the importance of the Jewish religion in their family’s culture. I would want to read more about the significance of a Bar Mitzvah to a young Jewish boy and how it influences his role and expectation in his family and

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