A Biblical Reflection on the Passion of Jesus Christ as it Relates to 20 Years of Treatment Resistant Ministerial Depression

  • Hunter York
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v6i1.279
Keywords: depression, suffering, identification, faith, hope, Christ, spiritual disciplines

Abstract

This is a reflective commentary on the article entitled, Understanding Refractory Depression: A Missionary’s Autobiographical Case Report. It is a focus on a spiritual therapy to minimize the debilitating symptoms of long-term refractory depression when other conventional and non-conventional treatments have been ineffective.  Though not suggested as a cure, a focused faith on our identity with Christ and his with us can help us transcend some of the negative impacts refractory depression brings to the life of its sufferers.  This is particularly relevant regarding Christ’s identification with our human sufferings.  It can be categorized as a spiritual discipline where benefits improve as the sufferer becomes more adept at the practice.

Author Biography

Hunter York

The author has been a cross-cultural missionary in SE Asia for 33 years.  He runs a small rural mission and teaches church planting, contextualization and world religions at a local seminary in the country where he works.  He has been actively involved in missionary care and has pioneered research and an initiative to encourage the development of a non-western model for missionary care.  He has been married for 30 years and has four grown daughters who grew up in Philippines.

Because of the autobiographical natrure of the case report, the author is using the psuedonym, Hunter York, to protect privacy and for security in his field of work.  

References

York H. Understanding Refractory Depression: A missionary’s autobiographical case report. Christian Journal for Global Health. 2019;6(1).

Berk M, Sarris J, Coulson CE, Jacka FN. Lifestyle management of unipolar depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl. 2013;(443):38-54.

Golden J, Piedmont RL, Ciarrocci JW, Rodgerson T. Spirituality and Burn out: An incremental validity study. Journal of Psychology and Theology. 1 June 2004;32(2):115-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/009164710403200204

Brother Lawrence. The practice of the presence of God. London: Epworth Press. Available from: https://www.basilica.ca/documents/2016/10/Brother%20Lawrence-The%20Practice%20of%20the%20Presence%20of%20God.pdf

Calhoun AA. Spiritual disciplines handbook: Practices that transform us. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books. 2005.

Published
2019-05-31
How to Cite
York, H. (2019). A Biblical Reflection on the Passion of Jesus Christ as it Relates to 20 Years of Treatment Resistant Ministerial Depression. Christian Journal for Global Health, 6(1), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v6i1.279
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2019): Global Health, Rights, and Justice
Section
Commentaries

Copyright (c) 2019 Hunter York

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.