The subject of spirituality is growing in popularity within the field of mental health. A major aspect of our human experience includes striving for meaning, hopefulness and purpose - this process can be understood as a spiritual experience. Another aspect of our shared human experience includes psychological distress and alienation. This is understood in most contemporary mental health literature as mental disorders. In our contemporary era mental health has addressed the latter. Spirituality, as an integral component of human experience, involves tapping into the innate need for integration while paving the way forward towards a transformative experience. The present research explores important interpretive issues related to spirituality and mental health from within a historical perspective. The present research suggests that holistic trends in mental health cohere with contemporary, phenomenologically rooted trends in spirituality. / Christian Spirituality / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

This project involved the development of a training manual for religious small group leaders to become competent communicators of support, and to understand the nature and role of crisis groups for the purpose of supporting members in crisis.

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published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This study, which lies within the ARHAP ongoing research on the interface between religion and public health, examined the impact of Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches on health and well-being among health-seekers in Ndola, Zambia. The study involved a self-administered questionnaire answered by 100 Faith-Healing Pentecostal Church worshippers in Ndola over a period of 4 weeks. Based on the data analysis and interpretation it was found that these churches have grown rapidly in Zambia and that many people are turning to them for their healing and well-being. There are several factors that are contributing to the rapid growth of Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches and these range from socio-economic problems to the impact of diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis on households, due to the poor health provision in most government health centres in Ndola. The study notes that people attend Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches because these churches provide a home for people in need of social networks which enable them to have a sense of identity, belonging and purpose amidst their day-to-day socio-economic challenges. It was therefore evident from the research that Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches are addressing huge socio-economic needs in people's lives within a context of poverty, unemployment and the burden of sicknesses and diseases, and can rightly be understood as a Religious Health Asset. These findings also provide the context for four important insights into a contemporary and contextual theology of health and healing. Based on the findings of this study, this dissertation offers a number of challenges to public health policy makers and church leaders to take serious the interface between religion and public health, and to also take seriously the contribution that Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches are making to health and well-being in Ndola, Zambia. When these two issues are taken seriously, it would help to address issues of health and well-being in communities, based on people's religious convictions and understanding of health, healing and well-being. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-11-21T08:59:08Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cleyton Ribeiro de Souza.pdf: 731901 bytes, checksum: 8aee4042ed719b73b5bada8ce07af1ba (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-21T08:59:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cleyton Ribeiro de Souza.pdf: 731901 bytes, checksum: 8aee4042ed719b73b5bada8ce07af1ba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The present work presents a historical narrative of the Superbom factory.The need to research such an institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church lies in rescues and have initial approximations of the history of this factory that was essential for the dissemination of the health message preached by the denomination. The objective this research was to present elements that show the health message of the denomination interacting with the development of the Superbom factory. As will be seen, the Adventist Review shows Superbom as being fundamental for the development of the movement in Brazil, so far, there are no researchers who have studied the subject. Here is the justification of the present work, to propose a first narrative of the factory, based on the organ of institutional disclosure, Adventist Review. If on one hand the factory had to seek modernization to meet the business demands, on the other, the institution had to suit market nuances. Thus, the adaptation of the products was a reality, although in content, the institution remained engaged with the health message of the denomination. As will be seen, the factory from its founding to the present day remained committed to the Second Advent message and White's instructions on health reform / O presente trabalho apresenta uma narrativa histórica da fábrica Superbom. A necessidade de pesquisar tal instituição da Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia está em resgatar e ter aproximações iniciais da história dessa fábrica que foi essencial para a difusão da mensagem de saúde pregada pela denominação. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi apresentar elementos que evidenciem a mensagem de saúde da denominação interagindo com o desenvolvimento da fábrica Superbom. Ainda que, como se verá, a Revista Adventista mostre a Superbom como sendo fundamental para o desenvolvimento do movimento no Brasil, até o momento, não existem pesquisadores que se debruçaram sobre o tema. Aí está a justificativa do presente trabalho, propor uma primeira narrativa da fábrica, baseada no órgão de divulgação institucional, Revista Adventista. Se por um lado a fábrica teve de buscar a modernização para atender as demandas comerciais, por outro, a instituição teve de se adequar as nuances do mercado. Assim, a adaptação dos produtos foi uma realidade, embora em conteúdo a instituição continuasse engajada com a mensagem de saúde da denominação. Como se verá, a fábrica, desde sua fundação até a contemporaneidade, permaneceu compromissada com a mensagem do segundo advento e as instruções de White acerca da reforma de saúde

In this study, C. S. Lewis's books, essays, stories, and poems, in addition to biographies and essays written about Lewis, were read in an attempt to understand the relationship between Lewis's spiritual quest and his total health. The spiritual quest is defined as the search for the ultimate truth and meaning of life. For Lewis, who was a Christian, the quest for the Spirit is a journey toward God-Jesus-the Holy Spirit. Health is defined as total experience; the interrelationship of the body, mind, and spirit with all there is, has been, and will be. Health is considered a changing perception, not a fixed state. The dimensions of Lewis's health—physical, psychological, social, and spiritual—are studied. Lewis's physical states, literary works, literary themes, friendships, ethics, marriage, and views on religion are considered as each relates to his determination to know and to love God. For Lewis, anything without God is nothing. God is the creator of all living things and all matter. He is the inventor of all loves and is Love. In Lewis's opinion, one's health is in direct proportion to one's love for God. When man loves God he is healthy, the more he loves Him the healthier, the less he loves Him the less healthy.

This research examines the coping processes of African American women with breast cancer and how those processes relate to low usage of cancer support groups by these women. Prior coping research has utilized predominantly White samples. The limited research on African American coping responses is conflicting and characterized by small samples and non-probability sampling techniques. In this study, 26 respondents from Central and North Texas metropolitan areas were interviewed, including 9 key informants, 9 African American breast cancer survivors, and 8 White survivors. The data suggest that African American and White women cope with breast cancer in significantly different ways. Culture appears to account for the differences. All African American breast cancer survivors identified faith as their primary coping strategy. In contrast, only half of the White survivors claimed faith as their primary coping strategy, but like the other White survivors, tended to rely on multiple coping strategies. The African American survivors conceptualized God as an active member of their support network. Most prayed for healing, and several attributed examples of healing to God's intervention. The White survivors found God's presence in the actions of other people. They prayed for strength, peace, and courage to endure the illness. The use of faith as a coping strategy was the most significant difference between the African American and White breast cancer survivors, but different social support needs were also evident. White survivors readily disclosed the details of their illness and actively sought the assistance of other people. African American women were much less likely to discuss their illness with other persons and expressed a greater inclination to rely on themselves. This study indicates that cancer support groups must be structured to consider cultural coping differences for wider African American usage. Coping research conducted on primarily African American samples is necessary to develop interventions intended to serve African Americans.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022. / Mental illness is a high burden of disease especially in Low- and Medium-Income Countries (LMICs) like South Africa. In many LMICs, there is a paucity of Mental Health Professionals (MHCPs). As a result, people with mental illness call their faith healers or religious/spiritual leaders (pastors in this study) when experiencing mental health problems. Pastors are more accessible, share the same religious/spiritual beliefs about mental illness with their congregants and often provide religious/spiritual solutions to those who consult with them. Thus, they are often preferred over MHCPs. However, pastors are rarely involved as partners in community based mental health programs. While mental illness is mainly clinically diagnosed and recognised by MHCPs using the DSM-5 and ICD-10 codes, less is known in South Africa with regards to the views of pastors with regards to their notions of what mental illness is. Thus, it may be complex for Pentecostal pastors to clearly distinguish between spirit possession and mental illness as much as it is complex for MHCPs who struggle with accommodating their patients’ religious/spiritual beliefs. Religious/spiritual beliefs are significant in many Africans seeking mental health recovery. However, less has been explored in South Africa in the area of religion/spirituality and its relevance in the practice of clinical psychology. Western based psychotherapeutic methods of intervention which exclude the religious/spiritual domain of African clients continue to dominate the practise of psychology in Africa. Given the above, this study aimed to explore and understand selected Pentecostal pastors’ perception and treatment of mental illness. The research objectives were, namely: (1) to establish the notions held by Pentecostal pastors’ regarding what mental illness is (2) to establish Pentecostal pastors’ perception of what causes mental illness; (3) to determine Pentecostal pastors’ perceptions of how and by whom mental illness can be recognised, diagnosed, treated and managed; (4) To determine Pentecostal pastors’ views regarding their own roles in the management of mental illness; and (5) To canvass and describe Pentecostal pastors’ perceptions about collaboration for purposes of an intervention programme aimed at providing a holistic care and treatment of religious/spiritual patients. The study was qualitative, and the exploratory research approach was adopted. The research was informed by the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual (BPSS) model. Purposive sampling was used to select nineteen (19) participants. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA). The following six major themes emerged from the analysed data: (i) Notions of mental illness; (ii) Causes of mental illness;(iii) Recognition and diagnosis of mental illness (iv) Notions on the treatment and management of mental illness; (v) Perceived roles in the treatment and management of mental illness; (vi) Views regarding collaboration with MHCPs. The participants held a multifactorial view of mental illness. They were limited in their understanding of mental illness and perceived it mainly to be madness (psychosis). The participants’ perception of mental illness was influenced by their theological (Pentecostal) as well as their cultural backgrounds (Black Africans). The participants indicated that they lacked training in mental health issues. As such, they were not opposed to collaborating with MHCPs. They mentioned that their roles included counselling, prayer, support, and referral. This study also discovered that Pentecostal pastors upheld three treatment approaches of mental illness namely: The Full-Collaborative Approach; The Partial-Collaborative Approach and the Non-Collaborative Approach. Findings of the study were discussed, and recommendations were made including the proposed intervention programme between pastors and MHCPs with the aim of facilitating a referral process and collaboration between the two professions. / National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), and South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA)

This research project arose from my journeys with Protestant Christian women who were living in sexually unhappy marriages. In South African Protestant faith communities there is the expectation that Christian marriages will experience sexual fulfilment. For many Christian women however, sexual unhappiness becomes their reality. Sexuality is cocooned in silence not only within the church, but also in many Christian marriages. This leaves many Christian women (and men) with little or no recourse to address sexually unhappy marriages. My research journey briefly explored the social construction of sexuality within the history of Christianity to see which discourses underpin current constructions of White Christian female sexuality. This participatory feminist action research journey centralised the voices of present-day contexts: Protestant Christian women, as well as clergy, were invited to share their understandings and interpretations of matrimony and sexual practices in relation to their faith. With the help of narrative therapeutic practices, some of the dominant social and religious discourses that constitute White Christian female sexuality were explored, deconstructed and challenged. This research journey aimed to penetrate this silence and to invite Christian women, who are living in sexually unhappy marriages, to share their experiences. This exploration included the faith predicaments and relational complexities, challenges and dilemmas Protestant Christian women experience when living in sexually unhappy marriages. This feminist-grounded action research explored the effects and consequences which living in sexually unhappy marriages held for the cosearchers. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)