A pastor writes about experiencing depression

[Carol in Cal.]

http://www.darkmyroad.org/2016/03/five-things-i-have-learned-after-living-with-depression-for-ten-years/

[Guest]

Spurgeon himself went through periods of intense depression. It definitely happens to all sorts of people and coping in a healthy, God honoring way, getting medical attention as needed, and relying on the compassion of those around you is critical for long term management.

 

I've had periods of depression and mania, myself - biological in nature. It happens. Our bodies are under the effects of sin just as surely as everything else in the world is.

[regentrude]

I've had periods of depression and mania, myself - biological in nature. It happens. Our bodies are under the effects of sin just as surely as everything else in the world is.

 

I do not understand the bolded. Do you attribute a chemical imbalance to "sin"?

 

[Guest]

I do not understand the bolded. Do you attribute a chemical imbalance to "sin"?

 

Sin in this context was meant to reference the Fall, original sin. The consequences of man's rebellion against God, living in a Genesis 3 world. Not an individual's sin but the continual and compounding effects of being in a fallen world and how that impacts our bodies and environments from genetic information on up.

 

It's a common framing in the circles I run in, so I figured that was self explanatory since I did say I suffered, myself, from these biological issues. Some mental and physical afflictions are consequences of choices and behaviors - that's not what I'm referring to.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[Carol in Cal.]

Regentrude, 'sin' doesn't mean 'this person's specific sin'.  It means 'the fact that sin infects the world so things are not perfect.'

This is a pretty common and also very commonly misunderstood Christian way of understanding the problem of pain.  It does not imply that a chemical imbalance does not exist.

 

Edited March 26, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[regentrude]

Thanks for the explanation. I had never encountered this interpretation in the church in which I grew up.

[EMS83]

Regentrude, I didn't either, but it made so much more sense to me when I did come across it.  

 

As fr the OP:  May he continue to recover.  It is so incredibly unfair of us to expect church leaders not to experience these things.  They are as human as we are; their job is to lead like our job as parents is to lead.  Our kids (or mine, anyway) tend to think we're superhuman, or even robots.  We don't need sleep, or to be alone, or consideration.  If we let them, they'll just demand, demand, demand.  My children are strong-willed, which I love, but channeling that is so tough!  A congregation can often end up treating its leader in this way.  Expecting so much, jibes behind the back, complaining.  That's apart from any personal failings or weaknesses they may have.  

[Carol in Cal.]

Thanks for the explanation. I had never encountered this interpretation in the church in which I grew up.

I am pretty sure it is buried deep in the teachings of most if not all Christian churches, but it isn't always taught or explained clearly.

 

One 'marker' for when people are speaking this way is if they say 'sin' instead of 'sins'.  'Sin' is more general -- the results of sinfulness being part of the world.  'Sins' are usually specific ones that someone did. 

[Carol in Cal.]

 

As fr the OP:  May he continue to recover.  It is so incredibly unfair of us to expect church leaders not to experience these things.

As it happens, I know him personally, and he is well supported.

His original book about this issue "I Trust When Dark My Road" has been purchased and provided free of charge by our church body to those who need it.

There is a great deal of recognition that this issue needs to be addressed with compassion and love.

I think that his writing has helped others to understand the issue better and to support those who need it more effectively and sympathetically.  It's good stuff.

[EmilyGF]

As it happens, I know him personally, and he is well supported.

His original book about this issue "I Trust When Dark My Road" has been purchased and provided free of charge by our church body to those who need it.

There is a great deal of recognition that this issue needs to be addressed with compassion and love.

I think that his writing has helped others to understand the issue better and to support those who need it more effectively and sympathetically.  It's good stuff.

We had a pastor back in 98-99 or so who was severely depressed and suffered (I think?) a nervous breakdown. 

 

Someone from the church's upper echelon/insiders' group announced it one day and his family sort of disappeared.

 

I wish that they had handled it more like this. It was so confusing and frustrating. It left so many scars, too. And to add a layer of shame on top of depression is cruel.

 

Emily