The centrality of Christ in Counseling

Chapter nine of Maloney’s and Augsburger’s Christian Counseling: An introduction ends their section on foundations. The chapter is entitled: Christ in Christian Counseling. They state their primary concern in this chapter this way.

We are convinced that Christ is essential for Christian counseling….[so] how does this assertion of the centrality of Christ specifically relate to counseling that goes by his name? (92-3)

Why is Christ essential in counseling? The authors’ use Karl Barth’s assertion that “humanity’s ‘essential and original nature is to be found therefore, not in Adam but in Christ’…. We see what it is to be human not by looking at Adam, the primate, but at Jesus, the primary example of the ‘ideal person’.” (96). 

For Christian counseling to be just that Christ must be in the room. It is not enough to talk about him, it is required to experience and imagine God. And so the authors give human means for, “inducing the experience of God and Christ.” (98).

Commentary: As much as I liked the last chapter, I disliked this one. 8 pages was all they could muster on the centrality of Christ in counseling. While I applaud their belief that what makes Christian counseling Christian is Christ’s presence in counseling, not ONE word was mentioned of Scripture. Not one! Yes, we can overintellectualize the text but in it we see and meet our Savior. Do we not meet him in the text? Ought not counselor and counselee to explore and experience God in the Word? Why limit ourselves to a few choice prayers and “introits” before sessions and listen to our gut, our imagination? It seems the authors make no provision for the fact our imaginations are also broken and focused primarily ourselves.