In this 39th episode, Dr. Knabb explores a topic that has been researched of late in secular psychology: openness to the future. First, he discusses the mental health implications of being open to the future with a positive outlook on what is ahead. Then, he offers a biblical understanding of the future, making a case that Christians can be open to the future because of what God has revealed in the Bible. To conclude, he guides listeners through a short meditative practice to meditate on heaven, something the Puritans frequently advocated for.
References
Beeke, J., & Jones, M. (2012). A Puritan theology: Doctrine for life. Reformation Heritage Books.
Bible Study Tools. (n.d.). Faith. https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/pistis.html
Botella, C., Molinari, G., Fernandez-Alvarez, J., Guillen, V., Garcia-Palacios, A., Banos, R., & Tomas, J. (2018). Development and validation of the openness to the future scale: A prospective protective factor. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 16, 1-16.
Holman Bible Dictionary. (2004). Faith. Holman Bible Publishers.
Hunsinger, M., Livingston, R., & Isbell, L. (2013). The impact of loving-kindness meditation on affective learning and cognitive control. Mindfulness, 4, 275-280.
Knabb, J. (2021). Christian meditation in clinical practice: A four-step model and workbook for therapists and clients. InterVarsity Press.
Salzberg, S. (2011). Mindfulness and loving-kindness. Contemporary Buddhism, 12(1), 177-182.
Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W., Compare, A., Zangeneh, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Buddhist-derived loving-kindness and compassion meditation for the treatment of psychopathology: A systematic review. Mindfulness, 6, 1161-1180.