Understanding People: Deep Longing for Relationship Dr. Larry Crabb (Zondervan) A fine and very readable introduction to the brokenness caused by sin, particularly as it shows up in various relationships. A perfect starter for thinking Christianly about the make-up of the human person. A landmark book.
Psychology & Christianity: Four Views edited by Eric Johnson & Stanton Jones (IVP) A friendly and feisty debate between four different Christians who relate their faith and theories in somewhat different ways. Essential.
Modern Psycho-Therapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal Stanton Jones & Richard Butman (IVP) Every discipline should be so fortunate as to have a handbook as useful as this stellar, indispensable guide. Nearly every possible school of thought in the field is explained, its presuppositions evaluated from a Biblical worldview. Honest in its description, generous in its willingness to affirm insights consistent with a Christian view and helpfully critical when necessary, this book is a model of Christian research.
Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and the Care of People With Mental Health Problems John Swinton (Abingdon) A wonderful resource offering new ways to think about persons with mental illnesses and how churches and practitioners can be better equipped to work together. Serious and insightful.
Psychology Through the Eyes of Faith David Meyers (HarperCollins) As always, this series offers another excellent, introductory-level Christian textbook.
SoulSearching: Why Psychotherapy Must Promote Moral Responsibility William Doherty (Basic Books) While not overtly evangelical, this is a wonderfully done “rethink” of the field of psychotherapy rooted in profound moral values.
Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship Paul Vitz (Eerdmans) A ground breaking critique of a dangerous assumption in most contemporary culture and psychological approaches. Not simple to read, but very important.
Freud vs God: How Psychiatry Lost Its Soul & Christianity Lost Its Mind Dan Blazer (IVP) A fairly serious study written by a professor at Duke Medical School.
Limning the Psyche: Explorations in Christian Psychology edited by Robert Roberts & Mark Talbot (Eerdmans) A healthy collection of scholarly articles on various aspects of Christianly-conceived psychological theories and practices.