Abstract
AbstractMental health has become a domain of professional and scientific endeavor, distinguished in the modern mind from spirituality, which is understood as a more subjective, transcendent, and private concern. This sharp separation has been challenged in recent decades by scientific research, which demonstrates the positive benefits of spirituality/religion (S/R) for mental health. Increasing scientific interest in the topic is to be welcomed, but the contribution of theology to the debate has been neglected. It is proposed here that Jesus’ life and teaching are presented in the synoptic Gospels as fundamentally concerned with what we now call mental health. Jesus’ teaching on worry, for example, offers various psychological strategies for dealing with anxiety. Moreover, it presents prayer as an effective and constructive response to worry, involving disciplined attention rather than avoidance. Critical interdisciplinary conversations between science and theology on matters such as worry offer a constructive approach to understanding the human condition in the context of adversity.
Highlights
Mental health has become a domain of professional and scientific endeavor, distinguished in the modern mind from spirituality, which is understood as a more subjective, transcendent, and private concern
Before we can make these dialogical connections, we have some bridges to build across an ugly great ditch that separates mental health and theology
Agnes’ GP, or perhaps a psychiatrist, may prescribe antidepressants for her, or she may see a clinical psychologist for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Summary
Citation for published item: Cook, Christopher C.H. (2020) 'Mental health and the Gospel.', Zygon., 55 (4). pp. 1107-1123. Zygon published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Joint Publication Board of Zygon. A full bibliographic reference is made to the original source a link is made to the metadata record in DRO the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Durham University Library, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LY, United Kingdom Tel : +44 (0)191 334 3042 | Fax : +44 (0)191 334 2971 https://dro.dur.ac.uk with Christopher C. “Mental Health and the Gospel: Boyle Lecture 2020”; and Fraser Watts, “Mental Health and the Gospel: A Response to Christopher Cook.”
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