James R. Beck, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Senior Professor of Counseling at Denver Seminary. He has contributed to the Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and has published various works on the psychological stresses of ministry. His previous books include The Healing Words of Jesus and Jesus and Personality Theory.

In recent years researchers in human personality have come to a rarely achieved near unanimous conclusion: human personality is structured around a very few major traits, probably five in number. These factors, sometimes called the Big Five and represented by the acronym OCEAN, are
Openness to experience
Conscientiousness
Extroversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
How does this Five-Factor Model fit with a Christian understanding of human nature? How does it compare or contrast with the way Jesus lived, taught and counseled? James Beck looks at prominent themes in the teaching and ministry of Jesus and how they relate to the five personality factors. Here is a study of the Christian implications of the new model--a study that will offer fresh insights for students, pastors and therapists alike.