Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ou r Psychologica:l
o F ind S t ren gt h in Ou
How t
Differences
• According to Pew Research, Seventh-day Adventist Church is the most racially diverse church in the United
States (
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/27/the-most-and-least-racially-diverse-u-s-religious-gr
oups
)
• Conversations regarding the diversity of the church focused mainly on:
• Ideological differences (conservatives, liberals, etc.)
• Gender inclusion (especially women ordination)
• Multicultural realities [see Gerardo Marti, A Mosaic of Believers: Diversity and Innovation in a Multiethnic Church
(Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2005)]
Diversity without Adversity
• What about personality?
• Is it not an important expression of God’s image?
• ‘God arranged (ἔθετο) the members in the body’ (1 Cor 12:18)
• The same verb (τίθημι) is used in LXX in the Creation account:
• 1x for putting the stars, moon and sun in the sky: ‘καὶ ἔθετο αὐ τοὺ ς ὁ θεὸ ς
ἐν τῷ στερεώ ματι τοῦ οὐ ρανοῦ ὥ στε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆ ς γῆ ς' (Gen 1:17)
• 2x for putting the humans in the garden of Eden: ‘Καὶ ἐφύ τευσεν κύ ριος ὁ
θεὸ ς παρά δεισον ἐν Εδεμ κατὰ ἀ νατολὰ ς καὶ ἔθετο ἐκεῖ τὸ ν ἄ νθρωπον, ὃ ν
ἔπλασεν‘ (Gen 2:8); 'Καὶ ἔλαβεν κύ ριος ὁ θεὸ ς τὸ ν ἄ νθρωπον, ὃ ν ἔπλασεν, καὶ
ἔθετο αὐ τὸ ν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ἐργά ζεσθαι αὐ τὸ ν καὶ φυλά σσειν' (Gen 2:15)
[quoted from Septuaginta: With Morphology, electronic ed. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1979)]
• Mark – Sensing type (practical and realistic, using numbers and choosing words carefully)
• Matthew – Thinking type (a logical writer needing a sense of fairness and justice in his account of Jesus’ suffering and
death, and its correspondence to prophecies)
• Luke – Feeling type (caring a lot about people’s feelings and being tactful as he writes)
• John – Intuitive type (creative and imaginative writer who sees possibilities in the passion and gives essentials
without hair-splitting details)
Development of Jungian Typology
• For Jung's complex relationship with Christianity, see C. G. Jung, Murray Stein, and
C. G. Jung, Jung on Christianity (Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 1999)
• For Jung’s paranormal experiences, see C. G Jung et al., The Red Book = Liber
Novus: A Reader’s Edition (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012); C. G. Jung and
Aniela Jaffé, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Rev. ed. (New York: Vintage Books,
1989)
Development of Jungian Typology
• Jung originated the concepts of
extraversion and introversion (as well as
the cognitive pairs of feeling and thinking,
intuition and sensing)
• Myers and Briggs expanded it with the
cognitive attitudes of judging and
perception and provided a final basis for
personality testing
• Naomi Quenk introduced the concept of
‘being in the grip of inferior function’ which
illuminated pitfalls of each type
• Neuroscientist Dario Nardi discovered a
correlation between specific brain activity
patterns and personality types
Development of Jungian Typology
Fi
Te N
Si
Formation of Types
Judging functions
(Thinking & Feeling) Extraversion
Introversion
Perceiving functions
(Intuiting & Sensing)
INFP
Feeling is introverted (Fi) as this function is not
used by INFP to relate to the world
Intuition is extraverted
(Ne) as this is how INFP
Feeling relates to the world
Intuition
Perceiving function
Judging function
Te
Ne S
Fi
ENFP
T
e
Ne Si
Fi
Si
T
Ne Fi
Formation of Types
• Preferences are progressive, not binary
• There are ambiverts (people leaning just slightly to the one
side of the extraversion–introversion preference)
Progressive tests:
- Dario Nardi’s
Keys2Cognition
- HumanMetrics
Jung Typology Test
Adaptive form = result of the Spirit’s ‘renewing of our minds’ (Romans 12)
Formation of Types
Extraverted Charming
Attitude Enthusiastic
Sociable
Ne Intuitive Imaginative
Perception Ingenious
Insightful
ENFP
Ne
Extraverted Boastful
Attitude Intrusive
Loud
Intuitive Eccentric
Perception Erratic
Unrealistic ISTJ
Being in the Grip
• Inattention to personality development can
result in a prolonged experience of ‘being in
the grip of inferior function’ (Quenk)
• Occurs occasionaly in the midst of stress, crises
and mental fatigue – dangerous if it persists
• If chronic, it renders the person virtually
unrecognisable – shadow functions take over
• Can be triggered by mental health problems
(e.g. depression or anxiety), and further
exacerbate them; must be tackled promptly!
• Quenk; also https://mbti-notes.tumblr.com
MBTI Types
MBTI Types
MBTI Types
Sensing plus Thinking (…ST…) Cluster
• approach life and work in an objective
and analytical manner
• focus on realities and practical
applications in their work
• careers that require a technical
approach to things, ideas, or people; less
interested in nurturing of others or
attending to their growth and
development
• often found in business, management,
banking, applied sciences, construction,
production, police, and the military
Sensing plus Feeling (…SF…) Cluster
• approach life and work in a warm
people-oriented manner
• focus on realities and hands-on careers
• found in human services and in careers
that require a sympathetic approach to
people; less interested in careers that
require an analytical and impersonal
approach to information and ideas
• often found in the clergy, teaching,
health care, child care, sales and office
work, and personal services
Intuition plus Feeling (…NF…) Cluster
• approach life and work in a warm and
enthusiastic manner
• focus on ideas and possibilities,
particularly “possibilities for people”
• found in careers that require
communication skills, a focus on the
abstract, and an understanding of others;
less interested in careers that require an
impersonal or technical approach to
things and factual data
• often found in the arts, the clergy,
counseling and psychology, writing,
education, research, and health care
Intuition plus Thinking (…NT…) Cluster
• approach life and work in a logical and
objective manner
• focus on possibilities, particularly
possibilities that have a technical
application
• found in careers that require an impersonal
and analytical approach to ideas,
information and people; less interested in
careers that require a warm, sympathetic,
and hands-on approach to helping people
• often found in the sciences, law, computers,
the arts, engineering, management, and
technical work
Flow States of MBTI Types
Flow States of MBTI Types
• For ESTP and ESFP types, this was: ‘Handling a
crisis during role-play’
• For ISTJ and ISFJ tpes, it was: ‘Reviewing the
past in detail’
• For INTJ and INFJ types, it was: ‘Envisioning
the future as it will be’
• ISFP and INFP types achieved a flow while
‘Listening to others’
• ESTJ achieved it while ‘Listening to an
authority figure’ only
Ecclesial Implications
• Mutual Understanding and
Appreciation
• When we understand that someone’s
psychological difference is
ontologically real instead of just
guessed or arbitrarily ascribed,
suddenly there is more tolerance,
empathy, appreciation and cooperation
• It can change everyday church
situations
• e.g., accepting introvert worship experience,
such as low-key reactions or sitting in the back
in order to not be distracted by role-playing, etc.
Ecclesial Implications
• Conflict Resolution
• By understanding we have different
approaches
• Ideological and theological tensions could
be tempered, too
• e.g. Introverted Sensing types can be prone to guard
tradition, while Extroverted Intuitive types tend to
constantly seek something new
• or, e.g., Thinking types are naturally more prone to
analytical and critical approaches, while Intuitive
types enjoy constructive and systematic approaches
• Both approaches are valid if conducted
responsibly under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit
Ecclesial Implications
• Conflict Resolution
Ecclesial Implications
• Discipleship
• MBTI tests have been used for a long
time in education to assess learning
styles
• e.g., Sensing types can feel impatient with
constant taking in of information, wanting to
learn by action, while Intuitive types can
constantly dwell on ideas
• Assess the membership and develop
adequate discipleship activities that
will engage all learning styles
Ecclesial Implications
• Organisation
• Assign roles according to types
• e.g., ENFP to functions where lots of
innovation, optimism and creativity is
needed (e.g., designing fresh missional
methods and events). On the other hand,
ISTJ ideal for functions where consistency
and fact-checking is needed (e.g. treasury)
• Create entirely new ministries
based on types in the church
Ecclesial Implications
• Mission
• Being attentive to the affinities of each type in the church
and allowing the mission to arise from the bottom-up
• Result: church where members will reach the people they
need to reach in their own God-given way
• Mission ceases to be an erratic set of short-lived outbursts
of individual projects, and becomes a sustained way of life
where members thrive and contribute in an authentic way
Possible Pitfalls
• Typology must not become prescriptive
• it pertains only to a small portion of a human individual
• though it provides significant insights into cognitive operations, it must
not become an all-encompassing lens through which we observe ourselves
and other church members
• Typology must not become an excuse
• it must not be used as a cover for character stagnation, misbehaviour, and
non-involvement
• Quenk’s warnings of ‘one-sided’ manifestations of the cognitive functions
and attitudes must be clearly presented and reiterated
• every type should be continuously developing
Conclusion
• The most important lesson from typology: realization that
we are psychologically different in real and tangible ways
• The reality of psychological diversity is implicit in the
body metaphor in the New Testament
• Also repeatedly touched upon in the writings of Ellen
White (a lot of it compiled in Mind, Character and
Personality)
Conclusion
• ‘It is the Lord's plan that there shall be unity in diversity. [Letter 111, 1903]
… Why do we need a Matthew, a Mark, a Luke, a John, a Paul, and all these
other writers who have borne their testimony in regard to the life of the
Saviour during His earthly ministry? Why could not one of the disciples have
written a complete record, and thus have given us a connected account of
Christ's life and work? The Gospels differ, yet in them the record blends in
one harmonious whole. One writer brings in points that another does not
bring in. If these points are essential, why did not all the writers mention
them? It is because the minds of men differ and do not comprehend things
in exactly the same way. Some truths appeal much more strongly to the
minds of one class of persons than to others; some points appear to be
much more important to some than to others. The same principle applies to
speakers. Some speakers dwell at considerable lengths on points that others
would pass by quickly or would not mention at all. Thus the truth is
presented more clearly by several than by one. [MS 87, 1907.]
Conclusion
• ... ‘every mind has its peculiar weakness and its peculiar
strength. One man's mind will supply another man's
deficiency.’ [Letter 50, 1897] … The Lord does not desire
that our individuality shall be destroyed; it is not His
purpose that any two persons shall be exactly alike in tastes
and dispositions. All have characteristics peculiar to
themselves, and these are not to be destroyed, but to be
trained, molded, fashioned, after the similitude of Christ.
The Lord turns the natural aptitudes and capabilities into
profitable channels. [Letter 20, 1894]’ (2MCP 423-427)
Essential Jungian Typology/MBTI Reading:
Jung, C. G. Psychological Types. Routledge classics. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge, 2017 [1921].
Jung, C. G. The Development of Personality: Collected Works of C.G. Jung: 17. Edited by Gerhard Adler. 1 edition.
Routledge, 1954.
Myers, Isabel Briggs, and Peter B. Myers. Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Palo Alto, Calif: Davies-Black,
1995.
Myers, Isabel Briggs. Introduction to Type. Place of publication not identified: Cpp, Inc., 1998.
Myers, Isabel Briggs, ed. MBTI Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. 3rd ed.
Palo Alto, Calif: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1998.
Nardi, Dario. Neuroscience of Personality: Brain Savvy Insights for All Types of People. Los Angeles, Calif.: Radiance
House, 2011.
Quenk, Naomi L. Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. 2nd ed. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
Quenk, Naomi L. In the Grip: Our Hidden Personality by Naomi L. Quenk. Palo Alto, Calif: Consulting Psychologists Press,
1994.
Quenk, Naomi L. Was That Really Me? How Everyday Stress Brings out Our Hidden Personality. 1st ed. Palo Alto, Calif:
CPP, 2002.