Religion and the Mentally Sick: Some Fundamental Issues

In this paper I am going to try and speak to you of some of the things which seem to me to be fundamental in trying to help mentally sick or defective people to a true experience of the love of God within the Church His Body on earth, and to make some suggestions which my experience as a psychiatrist who is also an Anglican has led me to believe to be very important in this field-The aim of religion is really the same for all people, be they well or ill, but there are limitations in its expression and understanding conditioned by the sickness or defectiveness present in the individual, and inevitably there is a greater degree of self preoccupation in the mentally sick. The foundation of all true religion lies in the two great Commandments : The love of God and the love of one's neighbour as oneself. It is always relationship that counts fundamentally-Ethical precept, intellectual understanding?both are important but only secondarily to relationship. Love is dynamic and unlimited?-I do not mean sentimentality of course. The one certain thing missing