Everyone has taken a personality quiz at some point. Whether it’s a “Which Abbott Elementary Character” quiz you saw on Facebook or one you saw while skimming through Cosmopolitan Magazine, personality quizzes have become a popular part of entertaining the masses.
However, have you heard of the Enneagram Personality Test? The Enneagram Personality Test, or EPT, is a personality typing system that illustrates patterns in how people handle emotions and see the world. It describes nine personality types and plots each type on a nine-pointed diagram which explains how the types relate to each other. Enneagram is the combination of two Greek words. Ennea is Greek for nine, and Gramma means something that is written or drawn.
What does the Enneagram Personality Test tell us?
The EPT says that each of the nine personality types is defined by a specific core belief about how the world works. This core principle drives your deepest fears and motivations, fundamentally shaping someone’s worldview and viewpoint through how they see the world and the people around them.
Our core beliefs aren’t wrong, but they can serve as blinders for some people. Understanding your Enneagram type and how it influences our perceptions can help us broaden our perspective and approach situations more efficiently. Understanding someone’s Enneagram type helps us see why they behave the way they do. Each Enneagram has a collection of beliefs that will encourage them to make certain choices.
Behavior that may seem inconsistent or unclear can be explained when we understand someone’s Enneagram type. The Enneagram also assists with understanding how people react to stress. The Enneagram shows openings for personal development and gives a foundation for understanding each other by describing how each type responds and adapts to supportive and stressful situations.
Controversy with the Enneagram Personality Test.
As eye-opening as the EPT may be for personalities, some Christians believe Christians shouldn’t take the test because they see it as evil. Christian author Jackie Perry shared her concerns about the Enneagram test, saying she was skeptical about the controversy surrounding the test. However, Perry says the Lord prompted her to look more into the history of the test.
Perry’s issue is that the current personality Enneagram derives from Claudio Naranjo’s development of occult teacher Oscar Ichazo’s work with later expansions by Russ Hudson and Don Riso. Claudio Naranjo was a psychiatrist and creator of the nine personality types of the Enneagram test. It’s said that Naranjo got his idea for the types from automatic writing, a form of channeling spirits when a demon guides your hand or mind to assist you with writing down ideas.
The nine personality types are based on the seven deadly sins, the nine divine forms, and some Kabbalah traditions. Ichazo’s influences came from philosophical, occultic and religious traditions, including Roman Catholicism, mystical Judaism, Taoism, Greek philosophy, and Taoism, making the Enneagram of Personality a combination of numerous differing ideas. According to Perry, when someone engages with the EPT and identifies their types, they apply their identity to the wisdom of demons.
Positives about the Enneagram Personality Test.
While some Christians denounce the EPT, others see it as a positive tool. John Starke, the lead pastor of Apostles Unknown, said that while some use the Enneagram test in a goofy way and it might be a fad for others. However, Starkes says that some spiritual directors and counselors use the test carefully and wisely. He added that these groups had been using the test before it became popular and will continue to use it. Starke maintains that the Enneagram test isn’t a chant that summons demonic forces whenever you use it in counseling or post about it online. According to Starke, the Enneagram is nothing for Christians to fear.
Starke believes that Satan is trying to divide the church and destroy lives and that demons are real, but the Enneagram isn’t what Christians should worry about. He says that pastors and counselors use the Enneagram to help others see where they could be inclined to trust in their strength instead of Christ. Starke also added that dozens of self-professing Christians have written books about Enneagrams within trustworthy publishers and encouraged Christians to read about them instead of watching YouTube videos because Starke believes YouTube sources can be untrustworthy.
Ian Cron, an Episcopal priest, believes that every number on the EPT teaches us something about the character and nature of God. Roman Catholic Friar Richard Rohr wrote that the EPT is concerned with making a turnaround and change with what religious traditions call repentance or conversion. Christopher Heuertz, another Roman Catholic author, thinks the EPT is more than a personality tool, but it gives us nine ways to find our way back to God.
Should Christians take the Enneagram Personality Test?
The Enneagram Personality Test might be an exciting way to understand personality types, but it contradicts the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:5 says it has a form of godliness but denies its power. While the Enneagram Institute is correct in the thought that we are spiritual beings and not living like we’re meant to live. However, instead of getting in touch with our “true nature,” we should look to God for salvation. We’re sinners who need God’s forgiveness, made available by His grace through trust in Jesus. The dead can’t get a spiritual awakening by themselves. They have to receive the life of Christ, regardless of their personality type.
Christ rebirths us, making us anew. His power makes us righteous, and our lives should be lived for His glory. Nothing in the Enneagram is derived from the Bible. The EPT is a way to determine personality types, but it’s something that Christians should be wary of. Some believe that the EPT originates from demonic or occult practices, while others see it as a helpful tool for spiritual counselors. Ultimately, it would be best to use the EPT at your discretion. If you feel this test would benefit your life, use it wisely. However, remember that the test doesn’t come from the Bible. If you think you should stay away from the test, do what you feel is best.
