The Old Testament is born out of anguish: a lost paradise, slavery and oppression, exile. Trauma and pain shape the reality of Israel's faith. Yet in this pain, God responds. With that in mind, we'll explore Old Testament ideas about the human condition with a focus on mental health and wellbeing. We'll examine the biblical vision of a good life—one that nurtures wholeness without dismissing the reality of pain—and seek to understand trauma in a spiritual context. In reading a range of biblical texts on pain (narrative, poetry, prophecy) we'll discover and learn from Scripture, nurturing a holistic response to the inevitable struggle of being human.

This course meets the criteria for Regent College's Certificate in Christianity and Mental Health (credit) and Certificate of Attendance: Christianity and Mental Health (audit). Learn more

In-Person, Online & Recorded: This course is being offered in-person at Regent College and online for Summer Programs 2022. Students may choose to take this course in-person or online when registering for the course through REGIS. Note that in person space may be limited. In order to support students who are unable to attend the regular online class sessions, recordings will be made available on the course Moodle page for 48 hours following each class. In some cases, attendance at other sessions may be required.