Historically, evangelical theology has been cautious in its engagement with psychological science. Besides some notable exceptions, on the whole, theologians shied away from a critical examination of empirical psychological research and instead focused more on applying psychology’s insights in a clinical or pastoral care setting. Things changed, however, with the rise of the positive psychology movement a couple of decades ago, often attributed to Martin Seligman’s (1942– ) work, in particular, his Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, 2002, and Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, 2011). Noting the obvious overlap between positive psychology’s emphasis on flourishing and the theological theme of shalom, evangelical theologians were keen to draw parallels and borrow the neighbouring discipline’s language and concepts (e.g. Jonathan T. Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, 2017, or Joshua W. Jipp, Pauline Theology as a Way of Life: A Vision of Human Flourishing in Christ, 2023). However, and this is the key argument of this paper, evangelical theology has often engaged with positive psychological research rather cursory, adopting insights and concepts imprecisely and ignoring the pioneering work of Seligman’s predecessors, such as Carol Ryff and Ed Diener. This paper critically examines the positive psychology movement, both from a psychological vantage point (e.g. Flanagan & LeDoux, Against Happiness, 2023) and a theological perspective, and suggests ways evangelical theology can engage more carefully, critically and yet confidently with claims put forward in peer-reviewed psychological science. Ultimately, this exploration will pave the way for a more competent and sophisticated interaction between the two disciplines regarding the important themes of human flourishing and well-being.