Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry

288 William P. Wilsonrules God has given him. These rules commandthat he relate to God and other men in love. Beingalienated from God by his rebellion, man is notwhole. His life is empty and meaningless.Sin has consequences that result in pathology.The Bible used the term death to describe thispathology. The biblical concept of death has severalinterpretations. The most important aspect isalienation from God. A second is failure to receivethe abundant and eternal life that the Bible promises.A third is the emotional pain, which resultsfrom man’s inability to control his behavior andhis failure to respond to the love of God. McKay(19) has called this lack of control moral paralysis.C. S. Lewis (20) has pointed out, “Until theevil man finds evil unmistakably present in hisexistence in the form of pain, he is enclosed inan illusion. Once pain has roused him, he knowshe is in some way or another up against the realuniverse: he either rebels … or else makes someattempt at adjustment which, if pursued, will leadhim to religion.” The painful emotions of sorrow,fear, anger, emptiness, confusion, shame, jealousy,or disgust are manifestations of pathology.More recently, Moshe Spero (21) has pointed outthat the pain arising from sin manifests itself asneurosis. In contrast, because neurosis results ina preoccupation with self, it is sin.Finally, the Bible makes it plain that the finalconsequence of sin that is not dealt with is eternalseparation from God and punishment (Matt.25:46).3.2. Concept of HealthTh e concept of health usually considered characteristicof Christian psychotherapy is holiness.Tournier is the leading proponent of holinessin today’s psychotherapeutic world, a world inwhich the word holiness often suggests emotionalinstability and religious fanaticism. Butthis is not what holiness originally meant. JohnWesley,( 22) who was an outspoken proponent ofholiness, believed that holiness, or sanctification,begins with a transcendental experience (salvation),but is at the outset incomplete. Wesleybelieved that confession, reproof, instruction,and the performance of good works in love areall part of the process through which behavioris modified and men are made whole. In aworld where medical care was almost nonexistent,Wesley went to the trouble to write a bookon home medical care. He did not omit thebody from his concern for the spirit and soul.Tournier’s therapy of the whole man is in thesame tradition.The three secular systems list resolution ofunderlying conflicts, symptom removal, andactualization of potential as the primary goalsof therapy. All these are goals of the Christiantherapist. He knows that to attain wholeness theymust be achieved. But there is more. The patientmust also be reconciled to God and continue tobe transformed as he matures in his faith.3.3. Mode of ChangeThe mode of change in Christian psychotherapyinvolves a synthesis of the various mechanismsused by the proponents of the three kinds ofpsychotherapy. Not only is depth of insight necessary,but also direct learning and behaving aswell as immediate experiencing are also necessary.In addition, the Christian therapist’s goal isreconciliation with God, if this has not alreadytaken place. A transcendental experience withGod is one of the primary effectors of change(2 Cor. 5:17, John 3:3). The joining of God’s Spiritto man’s mind is essential if therapy is to becometruly Christian. It is unfortunate that other writershave not emphasized this point. Reconciliation toGod provides power to change (Rom. 8:7, 8).3.4. Time Approach and FocusEven in Christian therapy, however, we have torealize that the “present is viewed through thepast in anticipation of the future.” Therefore, anunderstanding of the past is necessary to determinewhat changes must take place before newpatterns of thinking and behaving, determined bythe patient’s Christian value system, can be established.(23) Christian psychotherapy should use avariety of methods to bring about the necessary