The Use of the Jesus Prayer in the Parish Setting and Its Relationship to Perceptions of Well-being Public
Kouri, Alex (2013)
Published
Abstract
Orthodox Christianity is a faith developed within a therapeutic paradigm. According to Orthodox theology, sin is not understood as a crime to be punished but rather a wound to be healed. Many disorders described in the DSM-IV (such as various anxiety and depressive disorders) are seen in the Orthodox Church as consequences of a wounded nous (the faculty of the soul that relates with God). Spiritual practices have developed over the course of many centuries that function as tools for healing the nous. The Jesus Prayer is one such spiritual practice. Paradoxically, however, the Jesus Prayer (as well as many other spiritual practices) is oftentimes unknown in the contemporary parish community. Every Orthodox Christian congregation has people who suffer from a low perception of mental, spiritual, and interpersonal well-being. Yet the spiritual practices that may ameliorate these feelings are not practiced.
This study examines the role that the Jesus Prayer could play in the lives of average parishioners who dedicate themselves to this spiritual practice. In particular, it investigates the relationship of the Jesus Prayer with perceptions of spiritual, mental, and social well-being. Nineteen parishioners took part in an eight week study which included classes on the meaning and practice of the Jesus Prayer. They also committed themselves for the duration of the study to practice the Jesus Prayer on a daily basis. Quantitative surveys were used before and after the study along with a qualitative open ended question. The results represent not only a confirmation of the efficacy of the Jesus Prayer but also its potential within a parish setting.
Additionally, the study explores the relationship of spiritual practices such as the Jesus Prayer with western therapeutic models such as object relations theory and the writings of Donald Winnicott in particular. Thus the study has implications far beyond the Orthodox Church as it may serve as a positive and welcome encounter between the secular and the mystical, and of psychotherapeutic methods and spiritual practices.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction 1
Significance of the problem - The lack of an integration of spirituality into daily life 1
Practice of the Jesus Prayer as a possible aid in the resolution of the problem 5
The Jesus Prayer as a Vehicle for Integration 5
Integration of body and soul 7
Doxological Theology intended to restore wholeness 12
Integration of Divine and Human, Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy 15
Integration brings a greater sense of Well-being 17
Well-being and the True Self 17
Interpersonal/Intersubjective nature of Trinity 20
Image and Likeness 26
Theosis and Healing 31
Chapter 2: Literature Review 41
Research and studies on the Jesus Prayer 41
Writings on the Jesus Prayer 45
Early Christian writers 45
Early Hesychastic Writers 49
Renewal of Hesychasm 52
Later Hesychastic Writers 54
Contemporary elders 55
Contemporary theologians 58
Chapter 3: Methodology 61
Orthodox Pastoral Challenge 61
Theological Method 62
Research Paradigm 65
Research Methods 67
Participants 67
Materials 68
Instruments 68
Chapter 4: Quantitative Results 74
Findings 74
Pre-treatment DSES 77
Pre-treatment WEMWBS 80
Pre-treatment EQRI 83
Post-treatment DSES 88
Post-treatment WEMWBS 91
Post-treatment EQRI 94
Analyses and Evaluation of the Findings 99
Pre-Treatment/Post Treatment DSES 99
Pre-Treatment/Post Treatment WEMWBS 113
Pre-Treatment/Post Treatment EQRI 127
Pre-Treatment/Post Treatment All Instruments 145
Chapter 5: Qualitative Result 146
Findings 147
Chapter 6: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations 158
Overview of the Study 158
DSES Findings. 159
WEMWBS Findings. 159
EQRI Findings. 159
Qualitative Findings. 159
Conclusions 160
Implications 161
Implications for Orthodox Pastors and Health Professionals 161
Implications Beyond the Orthodox Church 162
Implications for Object Relations Therapists 162
Limitations 164
Recommendations 165
Appendix 1. Informed consent 169
Appendix 2. Pre-treatment questionnaires/instruments 173
Appendix 3. Post-treatment questionnaires/instruments 177
Appendix 4: The weekly Presentation of the Practice of the Jesus Prayer 182
Class 1: Introduction 182
Class 2: Scriptural Basis of the Jesus Prayer 182
On praying without ceasing 182
On name of Jesus 183
On the word mercy 184
Faith and Love 185
Time of prayer 187
Class 3: Silence 190
Class 4: Distractions 193
Outside of Prayer 193
Sensual Distractions 193
Spiritual Distractions 195
Moments just before prayer 197
During Prayer 198
Class 5: Communal Aspect of Prayer and Salvation 200
Class 6: Repentance 203
Therapeutic Model 203
Heart/Nous 205
Being Aware of the Illness 205
Class 7: Warming the heart 209
Class 8: Prayer as a way of Life 211
References 215
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