Is Depression a Sin or a Disease? A Critique of Moralizing and Medicalizing Models of Mental Illness

Abstract

Moralising accounts of depression include the idea that depression is a sin or the result of sin, and/or that it is the result of demonic possession which has occurred because of moral or spiritual failure. Increasingly some Christian communities, understandably concerned about the debilitating effects these views have on people with depression, have adopted secular folk psychiatry's 'medicalising' campaign, emphasising that depression is an illness for which, like (so-called) physical illnesses, experients should not be held responsible. This paper argues that both moralising and medicalising models of depression are intellectually and practically (pastorally and therapeutically) problematic, gesturing towards more promising emphases.

Hospitality Towards People with Mental Illness in the Church: a Cross-cultural Qualitative Study

“…It was not evident that focus group participants saw people with mental illness as demonstrating heroism, as experiencing greater freedom through their limitations, or as "strangers in our midst," as Webb (2012) puts it. Similarly, participants did not state that mental illness offered opportunities for transformation (Scrutton, 2016) or that people with mental illness could be comforted by God's willingness to be one who suffered by dying on the cross (Scrutton, 2015). The absence of these ideas suggests that views of mental illness within the church could be furthered by providing theological concepts that might contradict prevailing stereotypes and prejudices.…”

“…Yet, rather than simply viewing mental illness as a hardship to be overcome, it is important to also recognize that mental health challenges offer opportunities for deeper spirituality. Those who suffer from mental illness can take comfort in God's own ability to suffer, including God's willingness to die on a cross (Scrutton, 2015). Christians can experience comfort in knowing God understands their pain.…”

“…Advancing hospitality towards people with mental illness might entail integrating these spiritual and scientific views of mental illness in a way that church leaders and members could easily understand. In this vein, Scrutton (2015) argued that both the moralizing and medicalizing views of mental illness are incomplete and suggests that viewing mental illness as the result of societal sin, such as poverty, discrimination, and violence, might be more helpful and would reflect both Christian and professional views.…”

‘Mad, bad, or possessed’? Perceptions of Self-Harm and Mental Illness in Evangelical Christian Communities

“…The relationship between demonic aetiologies of mental illness, religious shame, and lowered support-seeking is supported by Scrutton (2015), Hartog and Gow (2005), and Nearchou et al (2018), who found that solely spiritual views of mental illness act to discourage religious individuals from seeking psychological treatment. Moreover, individuals may avoid treatments which are not based on prayer or scriptural study (Stanford, 2007).…”

The Dark Knight of the Soul: weaning and the problem of divine withdrawal

“…Stump argues that the reason for Christ's separation from God is that the overwhelming pain of sharing in the suffering of humanity prevents closeness and attention sharing with God whilst Christ is on the cross. For another example of how physical or emotional pain may cause an experience of separation from God, see Scrutton (2015), an analysis of a Christian approach to depression.…”