What’s in a Name, Part 2
by Donn R Arms
Last week we published an article on our blog explaining why, even though it grieves us, we
were in favor of the name change the NANC board was asking us to ratify at our annual
conference next month. If you have not read that article it might be helpful for you to read it
before proceeding here. I came to that position only after assurances that the name change is
in no way intended to be a repudiation of Dr. Adams and what he has taught about nouthetic
counseling, especially in his foundational books on counseling.
Then, this past weekend, a communication appeared in my inbox from NANC promoting this
change. My heart sank as I read the explanation for dropping the word “nouthetic.” It
contradicted the assurances I had received about not repudiating nouthetic counseling as
taught by Dr. Adams and revealed a lack of understanding of what nouthetic counseling is. It
did, however, confirm me in my opinion that we should indeed change the name so as to
conform to what is indeed the reality—that NANC is no longer nouthetic.
Here is that paragraph:
First, the word nouthetic is a perfectly good Greek word, which most people simply do not
understand. Most of us in NANC spend more time explaining the meaning of a Greek word than we
intend to when we mention the name of our organization. Once people understand the meaning of the
term it does not help us that much. The term means "to confront or admonish," and this only describes a
narrow slice of the kind of counseling endorsed by NANC. Of course biblical counselors admonish people
in their sin, but at NANC we also encourage our counselors to comfort the fainthearted, help the weak,
pray, encourage, instruct, take care of their physical bodies, and 101 other things the Bible says to do. In
its precise meaning the word nouthetic is a truncated expression of the many and varied counseling styles
that God communicates in Scripture.
Let’s unpack this. First we have this statement:
the word nouthetic is a perfectly good Greek word.
No, “nouthetic” is an English word coined by Dr. Adams in the late 1960’s and explained
carefully in his book Competent to Counsel. Its etymology is Greek and it is derived from the
Greek word that can be transliterated “noutheteo” in its verb form or “nouthesia” in its noun
form. But it is an English word. The email defines it like this:
The term means "to confront or admonish."
Because the English was confused with a Greek word it is unclear which is meant here. While
“confront” and “admonish” are two possible translations of the Greek word they do not explain
the robust and colorful nature of the word and neither translates it literally. Noutheteo is a
compound word blending nous (“mind”) and tithemi (“to place” or “to lay”) producing a word
that literally means “to place (or lay) on the mind.”
In Competent to Counsel Dr. Adams goes to great length to demonstrate that Paul uses the
term to communicate how he gently and compassionately counseled those to whom he
ministered. In Acts 20:31 it is something he did “with tears.” In 1 Cor. 4:14 he did it as though
his readers were his “beloved children.” In 2 Thess. 3:15 he did it in a serious situation “as a
brother.” In Ephesians 6:4 it is what fathers are to do with their children.
Anyone curious about the definition of the Greek word can consult any number of reference
works for help. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Kittle) has a thorough
discussion that is quite helpful. Better still, one can read Competent to Counsel pp. 41 – 56
where Dr. Adams does the research for us. Long before Dr. Adams became well known for his
work in the area of counseling he had become an accomplished Greek scholar having studied
Koine and Classical Greek under the foremost scholars of the day at Johns Hopkins University.
But none of this is the point, however. The issue before us is the English word “nouthetic,” not
the Greek word from which it was derived. Before casting this vote we should be sure we
understand what exactly this word means that we are discarding. At about the same time NANC
was founded Dr. Adams wrote a short book entitled What About Nouthetic Counseling in which
he sought to set straight many of the canards his critics had devised. This is how Dr. Adams says
he used the word:
I have used the word nouthetic . . . simply as a convenience by which the biblical system
of counseling that has been developed in such books as Competent to Counsel and The
Christian Counselor’s Manual might be identified most easily.
So while Dr. Adams derived the English word “nouthetic” from the Greek word “noutheteo” it
was understood by him, and each of the men who founded NANC, to be shorthand for that
system of biblical counseling taught by Dr. Adams in his foundational books. Adams was
concerned that supporters would attach some awkward adjective like “Adamsonian” or
“Adamsian” to it so he preempted them with the word “nouthetic.” The assertion that the term
“nouthetic” means “to confront or admonish” is spurious.
So let’s get this clear:
Nouthetic counseling is that system of counseling that is defined by and
flows from the foundational books written by Dr. Jay Adams.
Continuing:
Most of us in NANC spend more time explaining the meaning of a Greek word than we intend to when we
mention the name of our organization.
Every form of counseling practiced on the planet has an adjective attached to it—Freudian,
Adlerian, Rogerian, Humanistic, Existential, Jungian, Cognitive, Behavioral, et al. Each requires
that the practitioner be able to explain his method to those who inquire. Pity the poor
counselor who has to explain his Gestalt therapy! Why is it a burden too great to bear for us to
explain Nouthetic Counseling?
Listen again to Dr. Adams from page 52 of Competent to Counsel:
I have no great zeal for the label “nouthetic” beyond its obvious advantages. However,
since every school of thought eventually must be identified by an adjective, I should
prefer to choose that adjective for myself. The importance of the word, however, as
describing a regulative central activity involved in the ministry of the Word should not
be missed.
The name of our organization (The Institute for Nouthetic Studies) includes the word
“Nouthetic” as well and I have it stitched onto the polo shirts I wear. Several years ago at
Christmas my daughter gave me a vanity plate for my pickup bearing the word “nouthetic.” I
get questions about it everywhere I go and I have never considered it a burden. It has opened
the door to a number to wonderful conversations. I even had one person pull up beside me at a
stop light and ask what it means. I gave a two sentence explanation before the light turned
green!
If you find explaining the term difficult let me help. Next time you are asked try this:
It is derived from the word the Apostle Paul used in the Greek New Testament to
describe the kind of counseling he did. We use it to communicate that our counseling
flows from our understanding of what Paul and the other biblical writers taught.
Now if that quick explanation elicits more questions, GREAT! I have a two minute version, a five
minute version, and a ten minute version. If there are still more questions I can launch, with
great glee, into my 30 minute lecture! If, however, one does not himself understand what it
means, it would indeed be difficult to explain it to others.
But regardless of how heavy a lift it may seem for some to explain positively what we mean by
“nouthetic” counseling it is a far lighter load than explaining negatively what we are NOT when
we use the term “biblical.” With this change it will become necessary to clarify that we are NOT
like the scores of others who use the term “biblical” promiscuously. That will be true, of course,
only if we really are different and want to be seen as different.
The paragraph continues:
. . . this only describes a narrow slice of the kind of counseling endorsed by NANC. Of course biblical
counselors admonish people in their sin, but at NANC we also encourage our counselors to comfort the
fainthearted, help the weak, pray, encourage, instruct, take care of their physical bodies, and 101 other
things the Bible says to do.
This is a sad and unfortunate assessment. To claim that nouthetic counseling does not “comfort
the fainthearted, help the weak, pray, encourage, instruct, take care of their physical bodies,
and 101 other things the Bible says to do” is, inexcusable and dishonors Jay Adams. This “more
compassionate than thou” attitude must end. Even a cursory reading of Competent to Counsel,
The Christian Counselor’s Manual, or More Than Redemption should convince any skeptic these
are spurious charges. In these books there are entire chapters about prayer and comfort.
Adams has written entire books about instruction and encouragement.
In its precise meaning the word nouthetic is a truncated expression of the many and varied counseling
styles that God communicates in Scripture.
This is just not true. Again, because the English and the Greek words have been confused it is
not clear what is meant. The English word does indeed encompass all “the many and varied
counseling styles that God communicates in Scripture.”
It is in the final paragraph that we get insight into the real issue here:
Because "NANC" is in our constitution it cannot be changed without the approval of our membership.
It seems clear that if the word “nouthetic” was not a part of our constitution the board would
have made this change unilaterally and merely announced it to the membership. In my naïve
desire for peace and unity in NANC circles I have not come forward widely with my concerns
about the actions of our board. As a result the board has become confirmed in their direction
and we have come to this place. Let me now correct what I should have reported more widely
before now.
A little over three years ago the NANC board was “confronted and admonished” because they
were not following the constitution. This was manifest in two important areas. First was in the
makeup of the board. In the previous two years three veteran men retired from the board—Jay
Adams, Wayne Mack, and John McConaughy. The constitution required that these men be
replaced unless there was a vote of the general membership not to. Yet the board decided they
would not be bound by the constitution and refused to replace them. This had the effect of
concentrating decision making into the hands of a fewer number of men.
Second was the matter of finances. The constitution required that an annual budget be
submitted to and approved by the general membership each year and that a financial report for
the previous year also be submitted. Neither was done and all financial matters were handled
behind closed doors. Thus, when one influential board member asked NANC to help fund a
Biblical Counseling Coalition the board considered themselves free to give him $30,000 for this
project. The constitution required that such an expenditure be part of a budget approved by
the general membership. It was not. Nor was it ever reported to the general membership.
Rather than conform to the constitution when confronted about these irregularities they
decided instead to ambush the general membership with several amendments to the
constitution at the next annual meeting. I use the word “ambush” purposefully as there was no
advance notice given that there was to be a vote on amendments. The amendments were not
made available prior to the meeting. Members were not even given a copy at the meeting.
Instead they were flashed on an overhead screen. When I asked to see a copy one day before
the meeting I was refused. Because the general membership desired to trust and follow the
board’s leadership the amendments passed and the board became a completely autonomous,
self-appointed, self-perpetuating entity that no longer had to answer or report to anyone
outside of itself on any matter. Thus NANC is now an organization in which the general
membership has no voice or input on any issue—save this one.
We are poised on the precipice of a slippery slope. Others have lost their footing and
plummeted down the hill before us. One well known example should be instructive. CCEF was
founded by Dr. Adams in 1968 to serve as a kind of laboratory as he developed his counseling
model. Today, CCEF has so far distanced itself from Adams that Ed Welch can “shamelessly”
write that CCEF has “never identified itself as Nouthetic but steered a more moderate course”
(Transformative Encounters, IVP, 2013).
Let me reiterate what I said in my last article. I love NANC. I am grateful for the ministry it has
had to me and that I have been able to have through it. I continue to count our new Executive
Director as a friend and I know, in spite of these differences, he will continue to befriend me. I
know he desires the best for NANC and is burdened to see positive changes in the days to
come. I do believe, however, this proposal is an unfortunate distraction at a time when at least
a dozen more pressing issues require attention. I am glad, however, that it has given me an
opportunity to clarify what exactly is meant by “Nouthetic Counseling.” Understand also that
what I have written here are my views. Even though I work closely with Dr. Adams he has not
contributed to this article. He has endured far more slings and arrows in his lifetime than those
I report here. Sadly, in the past those projectiles have largely come from his integrationist
critics. These days they are launched by his friends.
In light of this you may ask, “OK, so what should we do now?” Well, my advice is that you
should come to Alabama in October, enjoy the conference, and vote. If you are happy with the
direction NANC is going and have confidence in the board you should, of course, vote yes on
their motion. If these things concern you and you believe there remains the possibility that
NANC can be steered back to its nouthetic roots you can vote no.
It is my view that NANC’s orientation is irremediable. I would love to be proven wrong. From
my own selfish and self-serving perspective, this change will help us at the Institute for
Nouthetic Studies preserve the integrity of the term “nouthetic.”
Finally, I believe this proposal lays open an undo concern many of our leaders have about what
our critics think of us. We can reassure each other as we talk among ourselves that nothing is
changing with this vote and how much we appreciate our founder. But regardless of how many
press releases we issue about this change, these critics will see it as a repudiation of Dr. Adams
and the stand those who founded NANC took supporting him. It will be difficult to refute them.