Toward a Theology of Mental Illness

This article considers research describing religious attitudes toward mental illness, including assumptions that mental illness may be evidence of personal sin or demonic influence. These assumptions are critiqued based upon a review of relevant Scriptural passages. A reformulation of theological co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion, disability & health
Main Author: Webb, Marcia (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge 2012
In: Journal of religion, disability & health
Further subjects:B Mental Illness
B theology of disability
B Religious attitudes
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article considers research describing religious attitudes toward mental illness, including assumptions that mental illness may be evidence of personal sin or demonic influence. These assumptions are critiqued based upon a review of relevant Scriptural passages. A reformulation of theological conceptions of mental illness is then proposed, focusing on the following themes: heroism in frailty, freedom in finitude, complexity in disorder, and the stranger in our midst. In conclusion, the article offers potential implications of theologies describing a passable God for an understanding of human suffering in general, and the suffering in mental disorder in particular.
ISSN:1522-9122
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of religion, disability & health
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/15228967.2012.645608