Book Description This book gives real hope for those who struggle with depression, and for the people who love them. Dr. Ed Welch writes compassionately on the complex nature of depression and sheds light on the path toward deep, lasting healing.
Welch considers carefully the spiritual, medical and emotional factors that contribute to depression. Even more important is his insight into the impact of these factors' interaction. If depression has touched your life in any way, you can be helped by this practical and far-reaching approach.
About the Author
Ed is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a neuro-psychology specialty from the University of Utah as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over twenty-six years and has written many books and articles on biblical counseling, including best selling titles: When People are Big and God is Small, Addictions: a Banquet in the Grave, Blame it on the Brain, Depression, and his newest book, Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest.
His written work and speaking ministry, which is characterized by sound biblical exposition and paired with dynamic practical application, is in great demand by today's modern church. Ed and his wife, Sheri, have two married daughters and two grandchildren. Ed is also a professor of practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. In his spare time Ed enjoys hanging out with his wife, is the glad owner of a growing guitar collection and competes in the Master's swim event where he placed fourth in the country. Areas of interest/experience: Depression and addictions.
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Excellent resource for small group use Mar 11, 2007
Insightful. Short chapters make it ideal for small group/support group use. Catalyst for discussion.
Top Drawer!!! Very challenging and encouraging. Jan 17, 2007
Ed Welch has been gifted by God to write in a humble yet powerful manner that grips the minds and consciences of those who read his works. His books including "Depression" challenge our thinking and actions with the authority of Scripture and at the same time he points out the great hope and encouragement that we have from the same Scriptures. He writes in a simple yet profound manner that does not draw attention to himself but directs the readers' attention where it should be: on God.
This is an excellent resource not only for those who struggle with "depression" but all people who go through difficulty and suffering in life. I guess that includes all of us.
wonderfully explainitory for the average person Jul 26, 2006
Ed Welch is so talented in writing so that all readers, whether expert or novice, can relate and understand what he's talking about. I read so that I could better understand the struggles of a loved one going through depression and it greatly deepened my understanding and ignited my compassion. Highly recommended for anyone suffering from depression or loving someone who does.
Encouraging Balance Jul 11, 2006
Dr. Ed Welch has taken some "hits" even from within his own "camp" for this thoroughly balanced and biblical approach to understanding, facing, and dealing with depression. Welch is neither "gaga" over medical diagnoses nor "knee-jerk" reacting against the possibility of medical causes for some depression. In this, he follows in the train of the Church Fathers, the Reformers, and the Puritans who all recognized and even suggested the possibility of physical/medical causes for depression.
Welch writes with a rare combination of compassion and challenge, buttressed by his spiritual theology of suffering--a sufferology. This is perhaps the greatest contribution of the book.
Readers looking for a thought-provoking approach to depression that addresses spiritual, relational, rational, volitional, emotional, and physical issues, will not be disappointed by "Depression: A Stubborn Darkness--Light for the Path."
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," "Biblical Psychology," "Martin Luther's Pastoral Counseling," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."
Theologically Insightful, Pastorally Helpful, Not Perfect Apr 22, 2005
Welch's book on depression is helpful on a number of levels. It presents both a clear-headed use of descriptive psychology, while providing an instructive example of how to apply biblical teaching about the nature of sin to a particular struggle in the Christian life. The church would do well to learn from his work.
Throughout Chapter 3, Welch makes it clear that we should be willing to learn from psychology at least as a descriptive discipline. This is an important point that we ought to observe and appreciate. The tendency of many in "Christian counseling" circles is to react against the misuse of psychology, claiming that it has no use whatsoever. But Welch clearly demonstrates that a method that recognizes the central authority of Scripture may still make use of insights gleaned from the discipline of psychology. One of the observations that we gain from psychology is that there are various conditions labeled "depression," resulting in a continuum of severity (28). These things are important to recognize; "depression" is not a word with a definite denotation. We should be careful in our response to those who claim to suffer from it, being careful to diagnosis what, precisely, is going on.
Furthermore, Welch grants the theoretical possibility of medical causes of depression, but is careful to point out that "chemical imbalances" are nearly impossible to detect. Even if they were detected, it remains to be proven whether the chemical imbalance caused or was caused by the depression. For all of these reasons, we should be wary of a premature medical diagnosis (30-31). This is even more the case when we realize that such a diagnosis can have a negative effect on the effort to address other contributing factors and issues. The temptation will be for a medical diagnosis to make all else seem superfluous. It will feel like "prescribing physical exercise for baldness" (31). This would then preclude efforts to discover any other causes that Scripture may speak to, whether they be directly sin-related or environmental.
As the beginnings of a biblical way of dealing with depression, part one develops the thesis that depression is suffering (37-100). This is revolutionary; it provides us with a perspective from which to view and approach depression, as Scripture has much to say about suffering. Appropriately, though not facilely, Welch quotes James 1:2-4 at this point (38). Already from this one verse, it is clear that suffering - including depression - has purpose. What's more, Scripture teaches us a number of the causes of suffering: others, ourselves, our bodies, Satan, and God can all play a role as the source of suffering. This, then, should color our approach to the problem of depression.
At this point, knowing that God is in control of our suffering and even uses it for our good, we may be tempted to respond with faithless rebellion. But Welch encourages us with two important biblical principles: 1.) Jesus shared in our suffering; and 2.) God is gracious and generous (47-52). What are we to do, then? The key is not to wait on God to magically strengthen out faith, but to exercise faith by calling upon the Lord (55-61).
Throughout his discussion, Welch is not afraid to point out the places where sin is a hindrance to defeating depression or even a cause of depression. He warns that if a particular passage of Scripture is not speaking to the one who is suffering from depression, it may very well be the result of a willful disregard for the truth that God is speaking to him at that point. (Consider his question, for instance, on page 72: "Do you want to change?") He even presents a fairly detailed exploration of one's over-all view of sin (75-78). But such admonitions are never in the direction of works-righteousness. Far from it. Indeed, they are exhortations to faith. So, when we struggle with depression, we should seek the heart of it in pride, in a desire for autonomy, and in the idolatry of self and self-indulgence (127-129). And even when we do find sin, we must be careful that we not too readily assume that sin is the only - or even the primary - cause of our depression (131).
For all he says of sin and the importance of faith, Welch does not neglect the external factors that may cause depression. We must recognize that we are involved in spiritual warfare (63). He discusses specifics, encouraging those who struggle with depression to list what they suspect to be their main causes. He also discusses general cultural trends that contribute to depression (113-122). In my estimation, this latter discussion is supremely valuable. His diagnoses of individualism, obsession with novelty, and the idolatry of happiness as sources of depression are absolutely correct. Welch's work here is useful for all Christians, not just those who have particular struggles with depression. But this stands to reason. He has diagnosed depression as at least having an element of sin as its cause; that being the case, it is only natural that we would all benefit from the solution, as it is clearly the case that we all struggle with sin.
All in all, even in the context of his discussions of the problem of sin, Welch is consistently Christ-centered. Ultimately, it is only the suffering of Christ that allows us to make sense of our own suffering. "Since Jesus came, suffering is redemptive. When we keep Jesus in view, the `one who learned obedience from what he suffered,' we can begin to understand how James could encourage us to have joy in the desert trek" (139).
If there is one serious criticism of Welch's book, it is that he doesn't seem to make sufficient use of the biblical motif of eschatology. To be sure, he refers to life as a "desert trek" (139), and he reminds us that an important motif for the Christian life is that of pilgrimage (16). In a brilliant chapter, Welch argues that a biblical sense of purpose is important in the fight against depression (90). Traveling, pilgrimage, purpose - all of these are important concepts, and Welch should be commended for making use of them. But it seems to me that he insufficiently develops the idea that on one level, we should all be discontent and dissatisfied with life in this world as we know it. John Calvin develops this theme heavily. A biblically-informed Christian spirituality will be dissatisfied with this life, longing for the life to come. It seems appropriate, then, to encourage those who struggle with depression to recognize where they may in fact be on to something. Their diagnosis of life in the here and now may not be that far off. But the key is to be faithful in what they do in response to that diagnosis. They must look to the hope that is ours in Christ, to the fact that God is making all things new. On that basis, then, even the present life is to be lived in joyful expectation of what is to come. What's more, the Lord provides us foretastes of that life to come in the life of the church - in worship on the Lord's Day, in the Lord's Supper, and in fellowship with God's people.
Ultimately, life in the church is the indispensable key to fighting depression, for it is only in the church that we taste the hope that truly makes life livable. We must embrace the paradox: in order to appreciate and enjoy this life, we must first realize its utter deficiency compared to the glories that are to come. For apart from the church's eschatological hope, depression is the only sensible response.
