The Trinity, Compass Psychotheology, and You

Compass Psychotheology represents a new field of study pioneered by Dr. Dan and Kate Montgomery. It seeks to integrate reliable principles from modern psychology with orthodox Trinitarian Christianity.

James Joyce spent 7,000 hours in writing Ulysses, the book that introduced the literary device of stream of consciousness into Western literature.

Dan and Kate spent 10,000 hours in writing Compass Psychotheology, the book that weds Christianity and psychology, and the foundation for their Compass Series works.

The Montgomery's aim included bringing together a cohesive theory of the God-human encounter that revealed modern psychological dynamics of personality and relationship within a perspective anchored in Bible teaching and a Christian worldview.

At its first tier of organizational composition, the overarching approach is known as Compass Theory. Compass Theory connects a Christian metaphysical conception of God, the cosmos, and humanity with the human psychological functions of perception, motivation, learning, memory, emotion, cognition, sensation, and spirituality.

Compass Theory suggests hypotheses about healthy versus unhealthy behavior, and offers ways to knit together identity, intimacy, and community—the perennial concerns of every person and every society, from ancient through contemporary times.

Where possible, Compass Theory cites empirical studies from psychological research on equal footing with biblical exegesis of Scripture, believing that both science and faith are essential to understand the complexities of human persons, and the mystery of God as present in persons and societies through the redemptive salvation of Jesus Christ through his atoning life, death, and resurrection.

The second tier of Compass Series works seeks direct application to human need in the forms of the Self Compass growth tool, Compass Therapy, Christian Personality Theory, and Compass Psychotheology. 

Applied to self-help and healthy personality it becomes The Self Compass: Charting Your Personality In Christ.

Applied to inspiration for Christian living it becomes: Faith Beyond Church Walls: Finding Freedom in Christ.

Applied to counseling and psychotherapy it becomes, Compass Therapy: Christian Psychology In Action, and Christian Counseling That Really Works.

Applied to understanding of Christ's personality and human personality it becomes Christian Personality Theory: A Self Compass for Humanity.

And applied to integrating behavioral science with biblical theology it becomes Compass Psychotheology: Where Psychology and Theology Really Meet.

The third tier of Compass Series works drawn from Compass Theory seeks direct application within Christian churches, but are finding use among leaders and members of synagogues and mosques as well. This may indicate that Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam share a common biblical anthropology and belief that the God who created humans seeks to interact with them in personal and corporate ways.

Applied to pastoral care and counseling it becomes Pastoral Counseling and Coaching: Compass Therapy in Churches.

The fourth tier of Compass Series works drawn from Compass Theory seeks to apply God's nature as the divine Trinity to every aspect of human life. Compass Theory suggests that God is only omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, but relational. That is, that the one God of the Old and New Testaments is revealed in and through Jesus Christ as Three Persons who are One God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Applied to a Trinitarian understanding of love, holiness, worship, grace, prayer, human nature, the unconscious, miracles, the devil, science, psychology, philosophy, the Bible, and becoming a Christian it becomes Trusting In The Trinity: Compass Psychotheology Applied.

A fifth level of Compass Series works drawn from Compass Theory seeks to promote a unifying conversation between Protestant and Catholic Christians using the Compass Model. In their marriage Dan and Kate Montgomery have themselves bridged the historical differences between Kate's liturgical and creedal formation as a confirmed Anglican (close in most ways to the Catholic Church), and Dan's Bible-believing and Jesus-centered spirituality (akin to Baptist, Pentecostal, and Wesleyan fellowships). Together they joyfully took a leap of faith to write a crossover book for Roman Catholics that is now commended by Cardinals and housed in the Vatican Library.

Applied to understanding the Catechism of the Catholic Church and a Catholic believer's personality transformation in Christ, Compass Theory becomes God and Your Personality: Revised and Expanded Catholic Edition.

New books on the Compass Theory works-in-progress list include one for a popular readership and one for professional therapists. The general readership book is tentatively titled, The Trinity, World Beliefs, and You. The book for professional therapists and pastoral counselors is tentatively titled, DSM-V and Christian Personality Theory.

Dan and Kate warmly welcome your involvement as compass psychotheology continues to develop in the 21st century!

How Does The Trinity Relate to One Another?

The New Testament in particular offers insight into the inner life of God: a life that can be understood in terms of the rhythms of the Self Compass.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit act in perfect concert, orchestrating the rhythms of humble strength and caring assertion in their interaction with one another (cf. Jn 1:33-34; 14:16, 26; 16:13-15; 20:21-22). “For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 Jn 5:7 NKJV).

Consider how in the incarnation the Son humbly submits to the Father’s will, while the Spirit caringly asserts himself to impregnate Mary. “The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God’” (Lk 1:35 NKJV). And the baptism in the Jordan River. As Jesus was “coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness” (Mk 1:10-12). 

Jesus surrendering. The Father gratified. The Spirit compelling.

Trust and courage. Humility and esteem. Three in one.

With an economy that could leave one breathless, Jesus says, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf” (Jn 15:26).

Surely the Trinity is a life of identity, intimacy, and community. Each person expressing the compass polarities of love/assertion and weakness/strength in rhythmic dialogue with the others.

Intradivine Love/Assertion

“Father,” Jesus prays, “I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (Jn 17:24). A heartfelt request. An assured response.

After the mission of the seventy was realized by the assertive power of the Spirit, “in that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit” (Lk 10:21 NKJV). Love-filled jubilation, conjoined with all the might there is. Expressed too, in the Father’s joy as he pays tribute to his Son: “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11 NKJV).

Intradivine Weakness/Strength

“The Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing,” Jesus says, “for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise” (Jn 5:19). Yet there is no doubt of Christ’s self-confidence in relationship to his Father: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower” (Jn 15:1). Strength, perfectly balanced with weakness, in non-competitive surrender.

Jesus explains that he has the authority to decide about his own life: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father” (Jn 10:18). The Son is decisive and obedient. The Father, deferent and in charge. 

In his Jordan River baptism, Jesus surrenders in weakness to the Spirit’s strength. In his healing ministry, Christ is aware that his power comes from the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:18-19). Indeed, Jesus’ consciousness of the Spirit of God empowering him to speak and act is basic to his mission. In turn, when the Son is resurrected to the Father, the Holy Spirit acts on behalf of the Son, spreading the Word throughout the world.

For more, see:

COMPASS PSYCHOTHEOLOGY:

Where Psychology & Theology Really Meet