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It evaluates the compatibility of MBTI® assumptions with a Reformed theory of personhood, explains why MBTI® gained influence among Christian counsellors, and considers what its popularity signifies for the church. Recommendations are offered to practitioners, while clarifying that the work is not a formal psychological assessment.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":45,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/religion-spirituality/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/an-assessment-of-the-myers-briggs-type-indicator-a-practical-theological-perspective/293274/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/an-assessment-of-the-myers-briggs-type-indicator-a-practical-theological-perspective/293274.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Mimi","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-17",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What is the article’s primary aim regarding the MBTI®?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"To assess the MBTI® from a Reformed perspective using a Trinitarian biblical hermeneutic of hope, focusing on compatibility with a theory of personhood derived from that perspective.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"How does the author address criticisms of MBTI® in Christian settings?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"The article acknowledges mixed reaction and cites critiques about rigid and theologically naive use, but argues it is wrong to dismiss MBTI® out of hand and calls for critical theological examination.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What methodological approach is used to assess MBTI®?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"A hermeneutical-critical approach is adopted within Practical Theology, viewing Practical Theology as interaction between theological tradition, biblical hermeneutic, and social context, operating through an interactive spiral of theory and praxis.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},293274,1789661860,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":44,"category_name":45,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":46,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":130,"read_time":31},2336477974920,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","A. R. Tucker  \nAN ASSESSMENT OF THE MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR FROM A PRACTICAL THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE  \nABSTRACT  \nThe aim of this article is to assess the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) from a Reformed perspective of a Trinitarian biblical hermeneutic of hope. It examines and assesses the compatibility of its assumptions with a theory of personhood derived from a Reformed perspective. It then suggests why it has madesuch an impact among Christian counsellors, what its popularity means to the church, and makes recommendations to practitioners. It is not intended to be a formal psychological assessment.  \n1. INTRODUCTION  \nThe Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) has met with mixed reaction in Christian circles. In 1992 Long criticised MBTI® writing,  \nThe main problem (with MBTI®) has to do with the uncritical, theologically naive, rigid, and overly confident manner in which MyersBriggs categories are often employed in various church settings (Long 1992:293) .  \nIn 1996 the respected Anglican author Leech (1996) produced a sustained critique.  \nSome Christian leaders are sceptical of PT (Personality Typing) and anxious about its growing popularity in the churches. A few are frankly hostile (Lloyd 2007:111) .  \nDr. A. Roger Tucker, Research fellow: Dpt Practical Theology, University of the  \nFree State, South Africa. E-mail: [rogertucker@mweb.co.za](rogertucker@mweb.co.za).  \nActa Theologica 2011 31(2): 295-314  \ndoi: [http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/actat.v31i2.15](http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/actat.v31i2.15)[ ](http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/actat.v31i2.15)[ISSN 1015-8758](ISSN 1015-8758)  \n© UV/UFS  \n\u003C[http://www.uovs.ac.za/ActaTheologica](http://www.uovs.ac.za/ActaTheologica)>  \nTucker An assessment of the Myers Brigss Type indicator  \nIt still meets with this mixed reaction. Yet it is widely regarded as a valuable tool in many countries of the world for understanding oneself and for relating to and working with others. Despite the above criticisms, MBTI® has had a significant impact within the Christian church, certainly in the USA and the UK.  \nMBTI® has been advocated as an indicator of how successful ministers will be in leading a church into change (Malphurs 1993:64-68), improving teamwork (Malphurs 2005:110), and as a tool for assessing how a congregation will react to this change (Douglass 2008) . It is being used by the church to make employment decisions, establish leadership styles, regulate staff relationships, and advise people about everything from marriage roles to prayer techniques (see Duncan 1993) . On two different occasions two qualified psychologists administered the MBTI® to the author, a Presbyterian minister.  \nIt is therefore wrong to dismiss the MBTI® out of hand. The Bible’s Wisdom literature genre indicates that through reflection on nature and human life in general wise insights may be gained that can be appropriated by the righteous. This implies that the Christian world has a great deal to learn from sources other than revelation, such as the natural and operational sciences, folk wisdom and culture (Osmer 2008:88ff.), and this may apply to such psychological tools as MBTI® . However, ideas from these sources should not be accepted and used without a critical theological examination.  \nAs far as the author can ascertain, there do not appear to be any Practical Theological studies formally and methodologically assessing MBTI® . Practical Theology is equipped to undertake this topic in a systematic fashion, taking into account the interaction between theology and social context. This Practical Theological assessment of the MBTI® interrogates its assumptions from the hermeneutical-critical approach advocated by Heitink (1999:178ff.) . This approach is based on the assumption that the purpose of Practical Theology is to ensure that God’s Word reaches people and is embodied in their lives.  \n2. THE HERMENEUTICAL APPROACH AS A MEANS OF ASSESSMENT  \n2.1 Description of Practical Theological model adopted The ","cbCaiaBPOMLiq8ZN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiaBPOMLiq8ZN","pdf",182004,"English","# Abstract\n# Introduction\n# The Hermeneutical Approach as a Means of Assessment\n## Description of Practical Theological model adopted\n## A hermeneutical-critical approach in the context of the Trinity","[{\"question\":\"What is the article’s primary aim regarding the MBTI®?\",\"answer\":\"To assess the MBTI® from a Reformed perspective using a Trinitarian biblical hermeneutic of hope, focusing on compatibility with a theory of personhood derived from that perspective.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the author address criticisms of MBTI® in Christian settings?\",\"answer\":\"The article acknowledges mixed reaction and cites critiques about rigid and theologically naive use, but argues it is wrong to dismiss MBTI® out of hand and calls for critical theological examination.\"},{\"question\":\"What methodological approach is used to assess MBTI®?\",\"answer\":\"A hermeneutical-critical approach is adopted within Practical Theology, viewing Practical Theology as interaction between theological tradition, biblical hermeneutic, and social context, operating through an interactive spiral of theory and praxis.\"}]","AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR - A PRACTICAL THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE | PDF"]