A Systems View of Jesus as Change Agent
Open Access
- 1 June 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Psychology and Theology
- Vol. 9 (2) , 128-135
- https://doi.org/10.1177/009164718100900202
Abstract
Jesus Christ stands out as the most effective change agent in recorded history. His therapeutic encounters and the gospel message he preached may both be understood from a brief therapy, systems theory point of view. There are two levels of understanding in Jesus’ brief encounters and communications: an earthly level and a spiritual level. Most of the people whom Christ encountered were operating on the earthly level. Christ's goal in these encounters was to move the individual from an earthly perspective to a spiritual perspective, or from their old system to a new one. It is at this point of paradigm shift that people are presented with the opportunity to make the most significant second-order change possible: salvation.Keywords
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