The Classic Exploration Of Faith In Community By Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Why are there considered no infallible indicators of personality, and why is it important to scientifically research personality?

There is no infallible indicator of personality. There are four kinds of personality data: self-report, information, life, and behavioral. Each one has it’s advantages and disadvantages. When conducting research on personality, each must be considered in order to draw valid and reliable conclusions about personality. This is because no one observation fits neatly into one set of data. There is an endless number of combinations. If one approach is used while the other ignored, it could lead to error (p. 45). Error is already an issue when it comes to interpretation, so if the data is skewed, then error is inevitable. Additionally, personality changes constantly based on several factors. Personality changes depending on our company, our environment, and our actions. How a person would behave around friends while playing video games is most likely very different from how that person conducts him or herself at a meeting in front of a supervisor at work. A self-reporting person who says that he or she is very professional and detail oriented may appear to be an entirely different person when participating in a rowdy game of virtual football
Each type of ministry is really describing different kinds of people in the Christian community and what type of behavior would be appropriate for a person with a certain personality. He describes the “Ministry of Meekness (Bonhoeffer, 1954)” where putting others above ourselves is considered wisdom. There are also ministries like listening, helpfulness, and holding one’s tongue. Then there are ministries that pertain directly to personality, like the ministry of authority, and the ministry of