No, National Bipolar Sunday is not an day on the SBC calendar but if it were it would have been yesterday, since October 11th was National Bipolar Awareness Day. I guess since October is Pastor Appreciation Month we wouldn't want to depress any of the pastor brethren by focusing on any mental illness.Here is a sobering, though anecdotal, thought for we men of the Baptist cloth: Every community I have served in had a tale of an SBC pastor who committed suicide.
Here is a depressing thought: Conversations and discussions among SBC clergy on the subject of depression and mental illnesses like bipolar disorder almost always start and end with the conclusion that these problems are spiritual, have a spiritual cause and an spiritual cure.
My opinion is that the depressing thought above probably contributes to the sobering thought above.
In our circle of news, opinions, and blogs contributors generally look askance at diagnoses that are grouped under the general heading of depression and the like.
For an example, see Albert Mohler's interesting and somewhat insightful article of a few years ago, The Reign of the Therapeutic, in which he rightfully maintains that the panoply of psychological, mental, illnesses are always expanding to meet the demands of a therapeutically addicted populace. There is little in the article that validates for a reader who actually has a serious illness that he needs medical help to manage it.
A few years ago Baptist Press reported on calls to LifeWay's 911-type of emergency clergy hotline. Depression accounted for the top number of calls, followed by forced termination, questions about the Wounded Minister's Retreat, marital problems and others.
Quickly now, do we see more reporting on forced termination than clergy depression? Yep. Forced termination has clear causes and cures. Mental illness does not.
The occasional article on depression found on an SBC-oriented blog frequented by clergy usually gets polite responses, offers of prayers, few comments, and the occasional know-it-all response that the afflicted just needs to confess sin or get right with God. Most of us have been around long enough to understand that for clergy to admit to anything in the neighborhood of mental illness means that they become damaged goods and have diminished stature in the eyes of colleagues, not to mention potential employers.
Contrast that with what one finds in the lay world. Here is a good current example: Bipolar Disorder Is Insidious.
I am not bipolar and admit to no more depression than the usual pastor 'blue Mondays' (not found in the DSM IV) or an occasional pastoral funk but I have been around long enough to recognize that SBC clergy generally have an unhealthy view of such things. This is to their harm, I'm afraid. We can do a lot better with this than we are doing.
...and I really don't want to hear any more hallway whispers of clergy suicides.
