One of the gifts that’s come to my pastoral ministry at Bidwell Presbyterian Church is neurorehabilitation psychologist Leonard Matheson. Len and I began by talking about a “biopsychosocial” approach to medicine. We also looked at the role of oxytocin and the hippocampus and connected all of it to scripture and faith.
Ritual does the important work of binding us together with other people… Ritual helps us engage in synchronous behavior with other people. We recognize our kin because they act like us. A group of people who are all standing and sitting and chanting the same way are activating their kin recognition circuits. Unconsciously, they think, “These people are my family.” If we want to help a congregation feel like family, ritual is one of the biggest ways.
C.S. Lewis talked about how some of us are more prone to particular ways of being in the world. It could be easier or harder depending on how we are prone, but we’re still called to live a holier life.
Today, we’re launching our psychology for ministry series in partnership with Blueprint 1543. We start with a conversation with a psychologist who has spent nearly four decades building bridges between science and the church. Mark McMinn, recently retired from George Fox University, has worked assessing ministry practices and spiritual formation.
Most seminary-trained clergy are required to take courses dealing with psychology and counseling. However, in some traditions, these requirements are perfunctory at best. Therefore, a significant number of pastors are ill-prepared to deal with these issues unless they’ve had previous training or seek further training in this area.
Churches that have historically served Black communities are uniquely positioned to address unattended mental health needs for African Americans.