Anger Part II: Three Lies About Anger and the Transforming Truth

Part 2 of a 3 part series. In this article, David Powlison looks at three misconceptions about anger that dominate our culture. First, “Anger is something inside me,” as both the catharsis theory and the demonological theory hold. Powlison argues that anger is a moral act of the whole person. Second, “It’s okay to be angry at God.” Powlison maintains that this psychotherapeutic view fails to consider what anger is, why anger arises, who God is, and how the Bible discusses and addresses anger at God. Third, “My biggest problem is anger at myself,” and the self-angry need to self-forgive. Powlison argues that this view fails to analyze anger at self and how the Bible talks about forgiveness. He concludes the article with a pathway out of anger through 8 questions that help a person make sense of anger and work towards solutions. Part 1 of this series is in JBC 14:1, Part 2 in JBC 14:2 and Part 3 in JBC 16:1.