In this conversation, Charles Marsh, a Commonwealth Professor of Religious Studies and author of 'Evangelical Anxiety: A Memoir', shares his journey from an upbringing steeped in evangelical dogma to a more compassionate understanding of mental health. He candidly discusses how religious teachings shaped his struggles with anxiety, often viewing his panic attacks through a lens of guilt. Marsh highlights the importance of re-evaluating faith, embracing therapy, and finding beauty in ordinary moments, urging a broader acceptance of mental health within religious communities.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Panic Attack Triggered by Sermon
Charles Marsh experienced a panic attack triggered by a sermon preaching that complete breakdown was necessary to receive God's grace.
He used lorazepam to calm his physical and emotional agitation during the episode.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Anxiety Misinterpreted as Suffering
As a seminary student, Charles Marsh suffered acute anxiety with no understanding or language to explain it.
His evangelical lens interpreted his anxiety as a form of suffering to be joyfully accepted.
insights INSIGHT
Evangelical Distrust of Therapy
Evangelical culture often distrusts therapy, promoting the idea you should embrace mental torment as spiritual refinement.
Charles Marsh battled anxiety for years before seeking professional mental health help, finding grace through therapy.
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This book chronicles the spiritual journey of David Wilkerson, a young evangelical pastor, as he embarks on a mission to help members of troubled street gangs in New York City in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The narrative follows his growth from personal, one-on-one encounters to a thriving community outreach program, highlighting the power of Christian faith and the potential for change in even the most hardened hearts. Wilkerson's story includes his founding of the Teen Challenge program and his encounters with gang members, such as Nicky Cruz, who later became an evangelist himself.
God's Long Summer Stories of Faith and Civil Rights
God's Long Summer Stories of Faith and Civil Rights
Stories of Faith and Civil Rights
Charles Marsh
Charles Marsh's 'God's Long Summer' delves into the intricate relationship between faith and the Civil Rights Movement in the American South. The book recounts stories of individuals whose religious beliefs propelled them to fight for racial equality during a tumultuous period in history. Marsh explores the moral and spiritual dimensions of the struggle for civil rights, shedding light on the motivations and experiences of activists. Through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis, the book underscores the role of faith in shaping the course of social justice. It examines the complex interplay between religious convictions, activism, and the pursuit of a more equitable society.
In the Image of God
In the Image of God
Stanley Levy
In the Image of God explores the symmetry between the body and soul, between the mind and spirit. Stanley Levy talks about the incarnational way of seeing therapeutic psychoanalytic dialogue. Levy talks about his experiences as a practicing analyst and a very committed parishioner in his Episcopal church in New Haven.
Glittering Vices
Glittering Vices
Rebecca DeYoung
Evangelical Anxiety
Evangelical Anxiety
a memoir
Charles Marsh
In 'Evangelical Anxiety,' Charles Marsh delves into his personal struggles with anxiety rooted in his conservative Southern Christian upbringing. The memoir chronicles Marsh's journey of confronting the taboos and ingrained beliefs that exacerbated his mental health challenges. He explores the tension between faith and psychological well-being, recounting his experiences with psychotherapy and the gradual shedding of religious dogma. Marsh's narrative provides insights into the complexities of reconciling spirituality with mental health. The book offers a poignant reflection on self-discovery, healing, and the redefinition of faith in the face of personal adversity.
Letters and Papers from Prison
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This book is a compilation of letters and papers written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer while he was imprisoned by the Nazis from 1943 to 1945. The letters, largely preserved and compiled by his friend Eberhard Bethge, provide a profound insight into Bonhoeffer's theological reflections, his daily concerns, and his personal struggles during his imprisonment. The book includes letters to his family, friends, and fellow prisoners, as well as theological writings that introduced concepts such as 'religionless Christianity.' These writings have had a significant impact on Christian theology and continue to be relevant today for their themes of hope, courage, and faith in the face of suffering and uncertainty[2][3][5].
Has religion ever kept you from doing something that was actually good for you?
It did for Charles Marsh. As a boy growing up in the evangelical South, Charles was taught to distrust his own body, to fear his desires, and to treat suffering as a gift from God. So when debilitating panic attacks shattered his world as a young man, he thought that he should count these panic attacks as something he was supposed to feel “joy” about.
Charles is now the Commonwealth Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. Find out how he navigated shedding the taboos of his evangelical upbringing as he sits down with Lee to discuss his memoir, Evangelical Anxiety.
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