Charles Marsh, Commonwealth Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and author of 'Evangelical Anxiety: A Memoir', shares his journey of reconciling faith with mental health. He candidly discusses his childhood in the evangelical South, where he battled panic attacks and learned to distrust his own desires. The conversation explores the complexities of navigating mental wellness within strict religious frameworks, offering insights into vulnerability, storytelling, and finding beauty in everyday challenges.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Anxiety Triggered by Sermon
Charles Marsh experienced a severe anxiety attack after a sermon preached that nervous breakdowns are required for God's grace.
He took lorazepam to calm intense agitation caused by theological teachings promoting suffering.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Harvard Panic and Evangelical Suffering
During his first semester at Harvard Divinity School, Charles Marsh had debilitating panic attacks with fears of losing control.
He interpreted his anxiety through evangelical teachings that suffering was something to be rejoiced in, prolonging his torment.
insights INSIGHT
Evangelical Distrust of Therapy
Evangelical upbringing taught distrust of psychotherapy believing in Jesus alone for healing.
Marsh discovered professional help was necessary after years of debilitating anxiety with no biblical relief.
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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].
God's Long Summer
Charles Marsh
Charles Marsh's "God's Long Summer" delves into the intersection of faith, politics, and the Civil Rights Movement. The book likely recounts pivotal moments and figures in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. It probably explores the spiritual and moral dimensions of the movement, highlighting the role of faith in inspiring and sustaining activists. The narrative likely weaves together historical accounts with personal reflections, offering a nuanced understanding of the era. The book's title suggests a focus on the enduring legacy of faith and hope during a period of profound social change.
The cross and the switchblade
D. Wilkerson
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.
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.
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
This is our unabridged interview with Charles Marsh.
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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