Psyche and faith Bestel Nu

In celebration of its first quinquennium in June 1994 the Dutch Christian Associations of Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Psychotherapists organized an international Symposium on the theme of Psyche and Faith – Beyond Professionalism. This book contains the four main lectures and a selection of the papers which were read at the Symposium. The theme originated in a feeling of uneasiness about the role of professionalism in our society. On the one hand, professionalism can be seen as an accomplishment. Professionals keep themselves to a series of codes which embody the highest standards of therapeutic action. These standards are often science-based. There is, on the other hand, the important question as to whether there is an intrinsic normativity of professionalism itself. The theme also calls for a critical examination of Christian initiatives. In the Netherlands, for instance, religious, moral, and worldview issues recently have become the subject of discussion among professionals wi