Warren Throckmorton
Encyclopedia
E. Warren Throckmorton is an associate professor of Psychology
at Grove City College
in Grove City
, Pennsylvania
. He is a former advocate of sexual orientation change efforts
and the creator of the documentary I Do Exist, about people who say they have changed their sexual orientation.
Throckmorton received his B.A.
in Psychology
in June, 1979 from Cedarville College, an M.A.
in Clinical Psychology
from Central Michigan University
in May, 1982, and a Ph.D.
in Counselor Education and Community Counseling from Ohio University
in June 1992.
Throckmorton's work on Sexual Identity Therapy
is endorsed by psychiatrist Robert L. Spitzer. The purpose of these recommendations is to help patients make their sexual identity conform to their beliefs and values.
Throckmorton has been involved in controversy over the origins and treatment of variations in gender identity. The February 2008 issue of Christianity Today
carried an article discussing how Throckmorton has advised people who are in agony over being transgendered that their desires are not in accord with the Bible. “Even if science does determine differentiation in the brain at birth,” Throckmorton says, “even if there are prenatal influences, we can’t set aside teachings of the Bible, because of research findings.” Throckmorton subsequently argued that these comments were quoted "out of context." On his blog, he stated that people should consult physicians, specialists, and spiritual advisors in resolving their feelings. If someone decides that sexual reassignment violates faith, then this feeling may guide their decisions.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at Grove City College
Grove City College
Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, about north of Pittsburgh. According to the College Bulletin, its stated three-fold mission is to provide an excellent education at an affordable price in a thoroughly Christian environment...
in Grove City
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, approximately north of Pittsburgh. It is the home of Grove City College, a private conservative Christian liberal arts college; General Electric; Instron; USIS; George G. Howe Co.; and a number of small businesses. It is also the home to...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He is a former advocate of sexual orientation change efforts
Sexual orientation change efforts
Sexual orientation change efforts are methods that aim to eliminate a same-sex sexual orientation. They may include behavioral techniques, cognitive behavioral techniques , psychoanalytic techniques, medical approaches, religious and spiritual approaches.The longstanding consensus of the...
and the creator of the documentary I Do Exist, about people who say they have changed their sexual orientation.
Throckmorton received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in June, 1979 from Cedarville College, an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
from Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
in May, 1982, and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Counselor Education and Community Counseling from Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in June 1992.
Throckmorton's work on Sexual Identity Therapy
Sexual Identity Therapy
Sexual Identity Therapy is a framework to "aid mental health practitioners in helping people arrive at a healthy and personally acceptable resolution of sexual identity and value conflicts." It was invented by Warren Throckmorton and Mark Yarhouse, professors at small conservative evangelical...
is endorsed by psychiatrist Robert L. Spitzer. The purpose of these recommendations is to help patients make their sexual identity conform to their beliefs and values.
Throckmorton has been involved in controversy over the origins and treatment of variations in gender identity. The February 2008 issue of Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
carried an article discussing how Throckmorton has advised people who are in agony over being transgendered that their desires are not in accord with the Bible. “Even if science does determine differentiation in the brain at birth,” Throckmorton says, “even if there are prenatal influences, we can’t set aside teachings of the Bible, because of research findings.” Throckmorton subsequently argued that these comments were quoted "out of context." On his blog, he stated that people should consult physicians, specialists, and spiritual advisors in resolving their feelings. If someone decides that sexual reassignment violates faith, then this feeling may guide their decisions.