P.E.R.M.A: Martin Seligman’s Model for Human Flourishing

Description

Jesus informed his followers that the purpose of his coming was to provide ‘abundant life’ (see John 10.10). This pursuit of abundant life (sometimes called “eudaemonia”, human flourishing, or WBT <well-being theory>) by psychologists and philosophers alike) has fostered much conversation. The towering figure in modern conversation is Martin Seligman, the founding father of positive psychology. His beliefs are strongly connected to the teachings of Jesus (albeit unintentionally), and his research highlights five essential components of human flourishing contained within the acronym P.E.R.M.A. This curriculum will help you understand the components of human flourishing and their relationship to the teachings of Jesus Christ; evaluate our own lives and the presence/absence of these components, as well as their relative health and cultivation; and foster useful change in our pursuits, habits, and dreams about living with increased abundance.