Comments on: Your brain is plastic (and that’s good news)

By: Brain Plasticity – Grizzlies Research

Brain Plasticity – Grizzlies Research — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 16:45:49 +0000

[…] Murray. Your brain is plastic (and that’s good news). HeadHeartHand, 1 April 2013, http://headhearthand.org/blog/2013/04/01/your-brain-is-plastic-and-thats-good-news/. Accessed 6 March […]

By: miscellany | georgianne

miscellany | georgianne — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:58:19 +0000

[...] ~ Your brain is plastic and that’s good news! [...]

By: David Murray

David Murray — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:06:43 +0000

Good points Ricky. The people in our lives make such a difference, don’t they. See what I wrote in the comment above about the difference between neuroplasticity and sanctification.

By: David Murray

David Murray — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:05:34 +0000

Good questions, Joe. I’ve been thinking about them myself as well, and thus far I’ve not found Christian answers. But here’s my attempt to understand it. God uses the plasticity of the brain in sanctification, but sanctification is something far more than neuroplasticity because (1) the believer has the Holy Spirit (2) the Holy Spirit works on the “heart” (the immaterial part of us) as well as on the brain (3) and the Holy Spirit uses Scripture, which is more powerful than positive thoughts.

By: Your Brain is Plastic (and that’s good news)

Your Brain is Plastic (and that’s good news) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:02:34 +0000

[...] is Professor of Old Testament & Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. This article first appeared on his blog and is used with [...]

By: Frederika

Frederika — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:43:25 +0000

I believe this is true in my life. I have had times that there were circumstances and reasons to be depressed. But I have a wonderful husband who would point me to the Lord, His blessings and almighty power. He simply would not allow me to be depressed and looking back, I haven’t been really depressed for years. I could have continued to wallow in my depression and I think I would have had a “pity party,” to be sure. I would not go as far as saying that everyone’s brain is “plastic” to the same degree; there are things which are genetic and organic. I do think the kind of people who are in our life makes a difference as to how we respond to depressions – certainly mild ones. This is where especially Scripture comes in – I have Psalms in my memory and find that often the Lord will give something from His Word to help me and even cheer me. The kind of preaching and teaching we have in church also plays a big role. But could there not be learned behaviour that becomes imprinted on our mind and emotions, which may be described as “plastic” and “mind renewal,” but are just another way of describing the biblical process of sanctification?

By: Joe Bailey

Joe Bailey — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:51:12 +0000

Thanks for this post, Dr Murray. I’ve been thinking about these issues a lot lately.

I’m a physiology undergraduate and have just been studying the theories of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and cerebellum. It makes me wonder about the interaction between the spiritual and natural here. If unbelievers can ‘renew their minds’ by positive thinking through the entirely natural mechanism of neural plasticity, do believers have some sort of ‘sanctified plasticity’ going on? What is the interaction between the natural and supernatural in this process in the lives of believers?

If we say that brain plasticity is a major part of sanctification do we not open ourselves up to the criticism that the change observed in the lives of Christians is just natural behavioural change that anyone can achieve rather than the Holy Spirit effecting change?

Do you know of any resources that deal with these questions? I would be interested to read up more.