27 Jun 2018

In our continuing series, we’re addressing common questions we hear in regards to spirituality, and in particular, Christianity and its interface with psychology.  This week we’ll examine this one:

“Aren’t all psychological ailments rooted in personal sin?”

Underlying this inquiry are several concepts:

  • Psychological disorders as a construct do not exist, as they are just an expression of personal sin.
  • If psychological disorders are due to personal sin, then by removing the sin the disorder should remit.
  • If I have a psychological disorder, it’s a marker of unresolved sin that I cannot remove from my life, and it’s my fault.

This line of thinking is minimally misleading, and potentially dangerous.  I would agree that psychological disorders are an expression of general (not personal) sin due to fall of man in garden of Eden, similar to other ills that have befallen the world (e.g., cancer).  Again, as we use general medicine as an example, most people would not agree with the statement “all medical conditions are due to personal sin”.  There is a wealth of data that indicates both medical and psychological disorders exist apart from personal sin and can be remedied through specific treatments that are not based on removing unresolved sin from one’s life.

One danger in thinking this way is to assume that all that is necessary to recover from a psychological disorder is to stop sinning.  However, if the assumption is that we are not perfect, are sinful by nature and will continue to sin in some way, shape or form, then we can never be free from our disorder.  Moreover, if the issue is sin, then it’s my fault, and if I cannot change it, what does this mean about my relationship with God?

I would suggest that a healthier perspective is to understand that psychological disorders, much like medical conditions, are addressed through well-researched treatments, given by providers who are skilled in that area. Although prayer and deepening one’s relationship with God is always a good thing, it may not fully address or treat a psychological disorder.