A Skeptic's Guide to the Enneagram with Jesse Eubanks
Nov 1, 2023
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Jesse Eubanks, an Enneagram coach and author, joins the podcast to address the critics of the Enneagram and explain its redemptive power. They discuss the popularity of the Enneagram and its compatibility with biblical soul care. They also explore the danger of giving the test too much explanatory power and discuss whether it reinforces harmful teachings of individualism. The chapter delves into the concept of self and identity from a biblical and psychological perspective and emphasizes the importance of community and authenticity in personal growth.
The Enneagram is a tool for cultivating compassion and empathy, helping to foster healthier relationships by understanding different perspectives and motivations.
The Enneagram should be viewed as a tool for self-awareness and relational growth, rather than as an all-encompassing identity, as Christians find their true identity in Christ.
The Enneagram can shed light on cultural engagement by providing insight into motivations and driving forces, fostering empathy and promoting genuine dialogue based on understanding individuals' deep motivations.
Deep dives
The Power of Enneagram in Relational Intimacy
The Enneagram provides a useful tool for understanding different perspectives and motivations in relationships. By identifying the unique ways individuals see the world and their core drives, the Enneagram helps cultivate compassion and empathy, fostering healthier relationships.
Critiques of the Enneagram: From Spiritual to Scientific
The Enneagram faces various critiques, from accusations of being spiritually unsound to lacking scientific validity. Jackie Hill Perry raises concerns about the Enneagram's association with occultic practices, while skeptics question its research-based credibility. However, Enneagram proponents argue that its application has proven helpful in personal and spiritual growth, with psychologists endorsing its value.
The Enneagram as a Tool, Not an Identity
It is important to view the Enneagram as a tool for self-awareness and relational growth rather than as an all-encompassing identity. While the Enneagram offers profound insights into individuals' tendencies and behaviors, it cannot provide salvation or a complete understanding of one's identity. Ultimately, Christians find their true identity in Christ, while utilizing the Enneagram as a means to better navigate relationships and foster personal growth.
The Influence of Attachment Theory on the Enneagram
The podcast episode discusses how attachment theory and personality types, like introversion and extroversion, align with the framework of the Enneagram. It explains that while the Enneagram resonates with some individuals in terms of personality types, it may not convince everyone. The episode highlights the importance of considering personality types within the broader context of attachment theory and other frameworks. It explores how the Enneagram fits into the age of therapeutic self-expressive individualism, contrasting it with historical beliefs of the self being defined by interdependent relationships. The podcast raises the question of whether the Enneagram reinforces a self-focused and internal approach to identity, emphasizing the need to also look externally and engage with others in order to find true identity.
The Enneagram and Cultural Engagement
The episode delves into the ways in which the Enneagram can shed light on cultural engagement and understanding different perspectives. It highlights how the Enneagram can provide insight into the motivations and driving forces behind people's behaviors and beliefs. By recognizing the Enneagram types that are more inclined towards justice, seeking security, or valuing authenticity, individuals can better understand and engage in meaningful conversations with others. The episode emphasizes the importance of empathy, compassion, and recognizing different versions of oneself in various contexts. It suggests that the Enneagram can be a helpful tool in navigating cultural tensions and promoting genuine dialogue based on understanding individuals' deep motivations.
New Age. Demonic. A self-obsessive trap. The enneagram has taken much heat from critics, many Christians being chief among them. But is there a bigger, redemptive case for the enneagram in the Christian life? Jesse Eubanks, enneagram coach, host of The EnneaCast podcast, and author of “How We Relate: Understanding God, Yourself, and Others Through the Enneagram,” believes so. Today, he joins Patrick to address some of the toughest critiques of the enneagram and explain how the truth within the test can be utilized for good, both in the church and through cultural engagement. He addresses why the enneagram is so popular, whether or not the test infringes on biblical soul care, the temptation to give your personality type more explanatory power than it can handle, and whether or not the enneagram reinforces the harmful teachings of self-expressive individualism. Plus, is identity internal or external, and is there a risk of the test allowing narcissism to set in? Listen now!
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