Welcoming People With Serious Mental Illness Into the Body of Christ

Robert Alan Renix

Etd

Welcoming People With Serious Mental Illness Into the Body of Christ

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Robert Alan Renix. Welcoming People With Serious Mental Illness Into the Body of Christ. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/29495c34-65f7-4443-8fff-049eb5abf0c6.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

R. A. Renix. Welcoming People With Serious Mental Illness Into the Body of Christ. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/29495c34-65f7-4443-8fff-049eb5abf0c6

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Robert Alan Renix. Welcoming People With Serious Mental Illness Into the Body of Christ. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/29495c34-65f7-4443-8fff-049eb5abf0c6.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Robert Alan Renix

Keyword

Church and community

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Abstract

This project’s purpose was to enhance clergy and the church’s ability to welcome people with serious mental illness into the body of Christ. My contexts were Saint Elizabeths Hospital and Inner Light Ministries UCC. I developed a seminar to teach Inner Light clergy about mental illness through a seminar. I explored how to merge their clerical skills as resources for welcoming people with serious mental illness into the church. A project goal was also to increase their confident competence in assisting people with serious mental illness. Clergy are, most often, the first people sought out, by the churched and not so churched, for support and guidance when mental illness inserts itself into their lives. Clergy are called upon to help make meaning of the uncertainties surrounding mental illness disorders. Because others look to clergy for understanding, clergy have to become aware and confident with applying their skills to care for people with serious mental illness. Clergy do not need to attain a clinical level of confidence; instead, they must achieve the confident competence in their gifts as pastors, priest, chaplains, pastoral counselors, and leaders of faith. What we can do as clergy and the church is reexamine our skills. We have been trained to care for parishioners through biblical interpretation, bible study, and the sacraments. Clergy and the church value hospitality and meals. Observing who is not at Christ’s table and inviting them back home to God’s community will ensure the feast includes people living with serious mental illness.

Year