ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
May 17, 2026
There was a sticker that one of our youth read out loud, and it included the word ‘stigma.’ She wanted to know what it meant. The sticker was referencing the stigma associated with mental health, and how we approach our conversations on the topic as if it were bad or a taboo. There is no question that our culture has made some improvements in this area, but there is still work to be done. Christianity has not always been on the forefront of breaking the stigma. In Christian history, we were often the ones to suggest that someone was possessed by a demon or it was a sign of God’s judgement for something evil that the person had done. This did not help create an atmosphere where helpful conversations could occur. It was also made clear that if your faith was strong enough, you could overcome whatever the challenge might be. Today, we know so much more about mental health, a psychiatric illness, and addiction. And I do not believe an exorcism is the healthy response. Yes, God’s help is a good thing, but God’s help might include a gifted therapist, a well-trained Stephen Minister, good medication, or the assistance received at a behavioral health facility. Though I always want to be respectful of people’s privacy around any health issue, I look forward to the day when we do not speak in hushed tones or with dismissive language, but openly celebrate a person’s decision to seek help, like we would with any other treatment a person might seek. And then, of course, offer whatever assistance we can. I truly believe that God desires for us to know wholeness and joy, and the wonderful people and programs out there are, in my opinion, God-given.
Holy Creator, you love us and seek to bring us all into better health. And though we use the language of mental, physical, or spiritual to describe different aspects of what it means to be human, we were designed as whole human beings, and so what is impacting one part of us is impacting the whole. Encourage us to seek help, over and against any cultural stigma that might discourage us. Draw us into a supportive community where kindness and compassion will be part of our journey. Amen.
