ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that the consequences of giving way to such pressures to dichotomous thinking in theology are pernicious, both theoretically and practically. Dichotomous thinking is not merely a matter of making conceptual distinctions. Distinctions are usually helpful and aid clarity of thought. The chapter considers three contexts in which the dichotomous thinking arises in theology. The first is epistemological, the over-sharp distinction between self and world, between the knower and what is known, and between the subjective and the objective. The second is, dichotomies in Christian doctrine. The third is the dichotomy between, on the one hand, obedience to authority and tradition and, on the other, personal freedom and autonomy in religion. Epistemological dichotomies raise issues that can be tackled from the standpoint of cognitive psychology. Doctrinal dichotomies have parallels in psychological polarities that shed light on their human significance. The dichotomy between authority and autonomy can be approached from the standpoint of the psychology of human relationships.
