Book Review
The Greatest Psychologist Who Ever Lived: Jesus and the
Wisdom of the Soul is Mark W. Baker's attempt to reconcile
Christianity and modern psychology. Baker's qualifications for
the job are sound: he is executive director of the respected La
Vie Counseling Center in Pasadena and a much-sought-after
conference speaker.
 The book is divided into two sections,
"Understanding People" and "Knowing Yourself," each of which is
further organized into dozens of concise lessons. Some lessons
are historical (such as "Why Freud Hated Religious
Fundamentalism" and "Why Jesus Hated Religious Fundamentalism");
others are more practical (such as "Addiction and Idolatry" and
"The Centered Self Is Not Self-Centered"). Each lesson is
conveyed through personal and clinical anecdotes and Gospel
stories, which Baker integrates smoothly. And each lesson
explores a key psychoanalytic concept (such as transference or
the unconscious), which Baker defines with clarity and
integrity. "Freud ... considered religion a crutch people used
to deal with their feelings of helplessness. This started a war
between psychology and religion that continues to this day,"
Baker writes.
"I have found the animosity existing on both sides of this
conflict to be rooted in fear. Fear inhibits understanding. It
is only when people stop being threatened long enough to
listen to each other that they can begin to truly comprehend
each other."
With The Greatest Psychologist, Baker gives Christian
readers a resource for bridging a significant cultural and
spiritual gap. --
Amazon.com Book Review
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Jesus, the Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived
