Emotion-Based Theory: Christian Or Not?

The Christian perspective on emotion presupposes a theistic origin to humanity. God, who created humans, gave humans the ability to feel emotion and interact emotionally. Biblical content expresses that God is a person who feels and expresses emotion. Though a somatic view would place the locus of emotions in the physical body, Christian theory of emotions would view the body more as a platform for the sensing and expression of emotions. Therefore, emotions themselves arise from the person, or that which is imago-dei or Image of God in humans. In Christian thought, emotions have the potential to be controlled through reasoned reflection. That reasoned reflection also mimics God who made mind. The purpose of emotions in human life is therefore summarised in God's call to enjoy Him and creation, humans are to enjoy emotions and benefit from them and use them to energize behaviour.

Emotions in the Bible

The Bible acknowledges the existence of emotions and their role in influencing human behaviour. It also recognises that God and Jesus experience emotions. However, the Bible emphasises the importance of managing emotions in a way that honours God.

The Nature of Emotions

The Bible recognises a range of emotions, including love, joy, happiness, guilt, anger, disappointment, fear, sorrow, worry, and more. These emotions can be positive or negative, and they can be helpful indicators of what is going on in our hearts.

God and Jesus Experience Emotions

The Bible shows that God and Jesus experience emotions too. For example, Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11:35). The Bible also mentions instances where God and Jesus were angered by the actions of people on Earth.

Managing Emotions

While emotions are a natural part of the human experience, the Bible provides guidance on how to manage them in a way that aligns with God's will. It is important to recognise and acknowledge our emotions and bring them to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7).

The Bible cautions against allowing our emotions to control us, as this can lead to ungodly behaviour (James 1:20). Instead, we should seek to understand and manage our emotions with God's help. This involves submitting our hearts to Him and allowing Him to work in us (Romans 6, Ephesians 5:15-18, 1 Peter 5:6-11).

Examples in the Bible

The Bible contains numerous examples of people allowing their emotions to lead them down certain paths, both good and bad. For instance, Eve's desire to be like God led to her and Adam's removal from Eden and the introduction of sin into the world. On the other hand, Mordecai's public display of grief over the plight of his people and Esther's courage to expose a murderous plot are examples of using strong emotions for goodwill.

Emotions are a gift from God, and we should thank Him for our ability to feel. By growing in our walk with God and seeking His guidance, we can learn to manage our emotions in a way that honours Him.

The role of emotion in Christian experience

Christianity is a religion that places a lot of emphasis on emotion. The Bible, the central text of Christianity, describes a wide range of emotions, including joy, gratitude, remorse, compassion, anger, fear, sorrow, envy, pride, shame, and contempt. These emotions are often intertwined with mood, temperament, personality, and disposition.

The Nature of Emotion

Emotions are complex and multifaceted, involving multiple components such as subjective experience, cognitive processes, expressive behavior, and physiological changes. They are responses to significant internal and external events and can be occurrences (e.g., panic) or dispositions (e.g., hostility). They can be intense and short-lived (e.g., anger) or long-lived (e.g., grief).

The Christian Perspective on Emotion

The Christian perspective on emotion presupposes a theistic origin of humanity. God, who created humans, gave them the ability to feel and express emotions. Biblical content expresses that God is a person who feels and expresses emotion.

Emotions play a vital role in the Christian experience. They can reinforce the reasonable truths of Scripture and theology by making them personal. For example, John Wesley, an influential Christian theologian, described his conversion experience as follows: "I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation. And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

Emotions can also help Christians make sense of complex theological concepts and doctrines. For instance, the doctrine of everlasting punishment or the exclusivity of the Christian gospel may evoke feelings of uneasiness or discomfort. While emotions alone are not a sufficient foundation for Christian living, they play a crucial role in how Christians interpret and apply Scripture to their lives.

Emotions and Reason

Christianity recognizes the complex interplay between emotions and reason. The Bible does not compartmentalize emotion and reason but presents them as inseparably linked gifts from God. The Hebrew term "lev" and the Greek term "kardia" speak to the relationship between reason, emotion, and volition. These terms describe the inner life, the center of the personality, and the place where God reveals Himself to humans.

The Regulation of Emotion

While emotions are an essential part of the Christian experience, they need to be regulated and directed by Scripture and the lordship of Christ. Christians must submit their emotions to the authority of Scripture and allow it to shape their understanding and expression of emotions. This involves recognizing that emotions can be distorted by sin and that our natural intuitions and feelings may not always align with biblical truth.

In conclusion, emotions play a significant role in the Christian experience. They reinforce theological truths, make doctrines personal, and guide Christians in their understanding and application of Scripture. However, Christians must also recognize the potential for emotions to be distorted by sin and submit them to the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Christ.

The distinction between basic emotions and emotion schemas

Basic Emotions

Basic emotions are a set of innate emotions that are universally recognised across all cultures. Basic emotions are distinguishable by an individual's facial expression and biological processes.

Psychologist Paul Eckman identified six basic emotions: happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, surprise, and anger. He later expanded his list to include pride, shame, embarrassment, and excitement.

Emotion Schemas

Emotion schemas are dynamic emotion-cognition interactions that may consist of momentary/situational responding or enduring traits of personality that emerge over developmental time. Emotion schemas are always present in the normal mind under normal conditions and are the central motivation for engagement in creative and constructive endeavours and for the sense of well-being.

Emotion schemas are causal or mediating processes that consist of emotion and cognition continually interacting dynamically to influence mind and behaviour. They are often elicited by appraisal processes but also by images, memories, and thoughts, and various non-cognitive processes such as changes in neurotransmitters and periodic changes in levels of hormones.

Basic Emotions vs. Emotion Schemas

Basic emotions are brief and automatic, whereas emotion schemas can be either brief or enduring. Basic emotions are generated by evolutionarily old brain systems upon the sensing of an ecologically valid stimulus, whereas emotion schemas involve higher-order cognition and have culture-related cognitive components.

Basic emotions and emotion schemas are distinctly different in terms of their origin, content, causes, and effects. Basic emotions are critical to the evolution of consciousness, whereas emotion schemas become maladaptive and may lead to psychopathology when learning results in the development of connections among emotion feelings and maladaptive cognition and action.

The role of emotion in the evolution of consciousness

The study of the evolution of emotions dates back to the 19th century, with Charles Darwin's 1872 work, *The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals*, being a notable example. Darwin's work looked at the expression of emotions in animals and humans, attempting to point out parallels between the behaviors of the two groups.

Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, often associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is no scientific consensus on a definition of emotion.

The Evolution of Consciousness

Primordial Emotions

Primordial emotions are the subjective elements of instincts, which are genetically programmed behavior patterns that maintain homeostasis. These include thirst, hunger for air, hunger for food, pain, and hunger for specific minerals.

It is hypothesized that early in animal evolution, complex reflex mechanisms in the basal brain, along with elements of the reticular activating system, combined with regions in the progressive rostral development of the telencephalon, including the limbic and paralimbic areas, and the insula. This phylogenetically ancient organization is believed to have contributed to the origin of consciousness as the primordial emotion, signaling an immediate threat to the organism's existence.

The Survival Advantage of Consciousness

Emotions, being intrinsically subjective, are a significant element of conscious processes. Consciousness, as the zenith of brain evolution and function, has emerged due to its survival advantage. It has been honed by natural selection, allowing animals to form images in their minds and choose appropriate actions based on their appraisal of the situation.

The Role of Emotion in Consciousness

Emotions play a crucial role in the evolution of consciousness. They can facilitate adaptive responses to environmental challenges, enhance memory, and play a pivotal part in social interactions and communication.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) has been linked to religious belief and various facets of religious experience. Studies have found a positive correlation between ability EI and general religiosity, as well as a negative correlation with extrinsic religious orientation and negative religious coping strategies.

The evolution of consciousness is a complex and multifaceted topic, with emotion playing a significant role. While there is no single, universally accepted evolutionary theory, emotions have been shown to serve various adaptive functions, contributing to the survival and well-being of organisms. The study of emotion and its role in consciousness continues to be an area of active research and exploration.

The role of emotion in the development of higher-order cognition-emotion schemas

Christian theory on emotions presupposes a theistic origin for humanity. According to this belief system, God, the creator of humans, endowed them with the capacity to experience and express emotions. The Bible depicts God as a being with emotions. A Christian perspective on emotions views the body as a vessel for sensing and expressing emotions, rather than the source of emotions, which is typically attributed to the physical body in a somatic view.

Emotions play a crucial role in the evolution of consciousness and the functioning of all mental processes. The dynamic interaction between emotion and cognition, known as emotion schemas, has a long history, dating back to the earliest written records, such as Homer's Iliad (c. 7000 BCE). These emotion schemas are the most frequently occurring emotion experiences, and they can manifest as momentary responses to situations or enduring traits of personality that emerge over time.

The development of higher-order cognition-emotion schemas, which involve self-concept and self-other relationships, typically occurs after language acquisition. The ability to symbolise and articulate feelings is a powerful tool for regulating emotions and developing advanced social skills. This capacity influences the relationship between emotion and cognition and contributes to decision-making and imaginations about one's future self and potential emotional experiences.

Emotion schemas, built upon past emotions, provide a framework for anticipating future emotions. In the short term, these anticipated emotions can influence the modulation of perceptual and memory processing, as well as the initial assembly of the emotional state in subcortical survival circuits. The interplay between emotion and cognition is a dynamic neuropsychological process that determines the relative significance of each component in decision-making and actions.

While the term "emotion" remains challenging to define due to its multifaceted nature, the study of emotion schemas and their integration with cognitive components in the brain can lead to significant advancements in preventive interventions. These interventions can promote the development of emotional and social competence and contribute to the prevention of psychopathology.

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