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Relevance of Internal Working Model and Attachment to God and Christian Counseling Implications : From the point of view of David’s son Absalom

  • Journal of Counseling and Gospel
  • Abbr : Jocag
  • 2023, 31(2), pp.41-68
  • DOI : 10.17841/jocag.2023.31.2.41
  • Publisher : Korean Evangelical Counseling Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology > Pastoral Counseling
  • Received : May 16, 2023
  • Accepted : July 8, 2023
  • Published : July 30, 2023

Shin, Sung Hee 1 Jang Dongjin 1 Jeon, Hye Yeon 2

1횃불트리니트신학대학원대학교
2횃불트리니티신학대학원대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine how parent-child relationship can affect attachment to God from the relationship between David and Absalom. For this purpose, a literature review was conducted to examine Absalom's attachment experience with his father from both the perspective of attachment theory and its portrayal in the Bible. Based on this examination, Christian counseling proposal was suggested. In the attachment theory, the internal working model refers specifically to the representational system of the self in relation to others. Analyzing the biblical account, it is evident that David was characterized as "a father who turned away from pain and did not respond," "a father who did not discipline," and "a father who did not express love." According to Kirkpatrick's theory of attachment to God(2005), which states that attachment to one's father influences one's attachment to God, Absalom was not able to form a sufficiently secure attachment to God due to his relationship with David. This is evident because Absalom did not seek God in the moment of crisis nor expressed his distress to God. Therefore the implication of this study is to suggest necessary Christian counseling intervention methods for Christian parents and children to not have a distorted image of God and to be able to form a stable attachment to God.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.