Genesis 2:19 and Science
Posted: February 28, 2011 Filed under: uncategorized | Tags: Bible, integration, psychology, theology 1 Comment »For one of my counseling classes, I’m writing a paper on the integration of psychology and theology. Since there’s a lot of opposition to modern psychological science in some Christian circles, it would seem as though the Bible would warn against social scientific methods. Genesis 2:19 seems to imply the opposite:
“Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.” (ESV)
God encourages humanity to observe life and classify it. Physical properties are only one way to describe differences between or within species. Cognitions, emotions, and behavior can also be described, classified, and predicted to help differentiate species and subtypes. Taken together, the physical and social sciences help us understand the world and each other.
However, I searched for Genesis 2:19 but didn’t come up with anything related to science. So, am I reading too much into that verse or is it fair to extrapolate that God wants us to observe and classify both physical and psychological phenomena?
I never thought about that verse in the context of science, but I do think you’re onto something. Part of having dominion over nature is exploring, studying, and classifying it. Since the human psyche is a part of nature then why not?