Dichotomy or Trichotomy? How the Doctrine of Man Shapes the Treatment of Depression

In this article, Winston Smith examines the common view by many Christian counselors which takes a three-fold view of human nature, seeing spirit, soul, and body as three constituents that need to be addressed by spiritual, psychological, and medical means respectively. However, Smith argues that trichotomy roots more in Greek philosophy that biblical exegesis. The Bible emphasized the fundamental unity of human nature in a “duplex” of inner and outer man. Smith argues that this provides a more unified view of man, more psychologically accurate, and truer to human experience. He concludes with an examination of the book “Happiness is a Choice” by Minirth and Meier as a case study in the negative implications of the trichotomist view and the belief that psychology addresses the “deeper” issues of humanity.