Ministry for the Mind: Pastoral Care for Emotional Health in Trenton, NJ

Abstract

Mental health is a community concern in Trenton, NJ. This thesis explores how pastors, an influential group of people, explain the causes of mental and emotional health problems, and what effect they believe they and the church have on community mental health. Interviews and discussion groups with Trenton pastors reveal that they believe biological, environmental, relational, and spiritual factors all contribute to mental illness, and that unique stressors exist in urban or inner-city environment. On the whole, pastors believe that religion and religious leaders contribute positively to emotional health. Symbolic interactionism provides a framework for understanding pastors’ self-presentation as caregivers in light of their status; furthermore this theory sheds light on the social meaning of religion in light of this health problem. This thesis expands on existing literature by studying the complex relationship between the inner-city environment and mental health through the eyes of its religious leaders.