Christianity and mental health

This chapter summarizes the impact of the Christian faith on mental health and illness. It provides an overview of the history of the Christian church founded in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the key beliefs and distinctions from other monotheistic religions. It considers the different beliefs and practices of the main Christian denominations: Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. The church has a long and ongoing history of involvement in health care, and churches are at their best healing communities offering community, prayer, and, rituals such as Baptism and the Eucharist. Prospective studies have found that elements of Christian faith and practice benefit those with psychotic disorders and depression, increase happiness and resilience, and decrease the risk of substance abuse or suicide. Although teaching that over-spiritualizes or discourages timely interaction with health care and consistent treatment concordance is sometimes harmful, the evidence suggests that Christianity is generally a positive influence on mental health.

Sin and Redemption

This chapter discusses how sin is viewed and how it affects health. The existence of an extrasensory dimension perceptible only to a select few through visions and other mystical experiences was not called into question. The two spheres — the visible and the invisible — were bound up in a tightly woven mesh of interdependencies. Not only did they influence each other in matters including human health, but they were also reflections of each other. The notion of sickness as punishment recurs several times in the Talmud. The causes of ailments were interpreted using a combination of conceptions drawn from various traditions. The motif of punishment was a perennial subject of study in rabbinic Orthodoxy and Hasidism alike. The Jews living in eastern Europe believed that there were seven things which made life shorter: anger and envy, greed and pride, gossip, debauchery, and idleness. Anyone who lived to a ripe old age was considered fortunate and blessed. Those who died prematurely were thought to have to live out the rest of their years in another incarnation. In the popular understanding, the bond between the human soul and body was so strong that even the smallest flaw in the former would immediately manifest in the latter. Sickness presented an opportunity to purify oneself from sins. To the traditional Jewish community, prayer could have a bearing on health primarily as a regular form of fulfilment of divine service. The sin of neglect affected not only the human soul but also the body.

Communal and Community-Forming Character of Prayer

In the age of secularisation, prayer is becoming an increasingly difficult act of believers to understand. Extremely dangerous individualism and subjectivism is the contemporary threat to common and community prayer. All of this makes it necessary to take a new look at this category of prayer so that it leads to an authentic testimony from Christians in the world. In this way, it also prevents the dangerous exclusivity of believers themselves when faced with challenges. Among the whole variety and categories of prayers, communal prayer and the prayer of community are very important. This distinction is necessary because it reveals to us the truth that every prayer has a communal character even though it is not always a common prayer. However, prayer celebrated together is the source of life for the Christian, the Church and the clearest and most readable testimony of faith.

Piedade não-litúrgica

Piedade não-litúrgica (ou religiosidade popular) e Liturgia, quando criteriosamente articuladas, não entram em conflito nem se repelem mutuamente. Pelo contrário, se fortalecem e enriquecem reciprocamente. É o que mostra Dom Frei Boaventura Kloppenburg, Bispo emérito de Novo Hamburgo, RS, comentando o Diretório sobre Piedade Popular e Liturgia, da Congregação para o Culto Divino e a Disciplina dos Sacramentos. O documento, com data de 17/12/01, lembra os princípios que fundamentam essa relação e dá orientações concretas no sentido de harmonizar a piedade popular e a Liturgia. Em suma, o(a) cristão(ã) piedoso(a), chamado(a) à oração comunitária, não pode esquecer-se de entrar no quarto, fechar a porta, e orar ao Pai (cf. Mt 6,6), e até orar sem cessar, como recomenda Paulo (cf. 1Ts 5,17).Abstract: Non-liturgical devotion (or popular religiosity) and Liturgy, when carefully articulated, neither conflict with nor repel one another; on the contrary, they are reciprocally strengthened and enriched. This is shown by Fray Boaventura Kloppenburg, former Bishop of Novo Hamburgo, RS, in his commentary on the DiretóriosobrePiedadePopulareLiturgia (Directory on Popular Devotion and Liturgy) of the Congregation for the Divine Cult and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The document, dated 17th December 2001, reminds us of the principles that are the foundation for this relation and gives concrete guidelines for the harmonization of popular devotion and Liturgy. In sum, the pious Christian, called to the community prayer, must not forget to enter the room, close the door, and pray to the Father (cf. Mt. 6:6) and even pray uninterruptedly, as recommended by Paul (cf. 1Ts 5:17).

Gebed: 'n Proses wat verandering bemiddel

Prayer is an integral part of the believer's communion with God. It reflects different dimensions and functions in the faith-relationship between God and man. Worship, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, petition, confession and trust are only a few to be mentioned. A neglected aspected of the prayer experience is the lament. Prayer is, in this sense, an exposure of the self and the circumstances of the petitioner before God. The purpose of this article is to illuminate the theological meaning of the lament as prayer for the individual and the faith community. Prayer is also understood within the broader scope of different expressive human deeds. It is a process which mediates perspective and essential change in the life of the believer and faith community. In a final application it is argued that the lament-prayer can contribute to change and renewal in a transitional and disturbed South African church and society.