PSYCHIATRY IN ADVENTISM - Andrews University

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Father Curran & Denominational Dissent
New Hymnal: The Wait Was Worth It
I
Journal of the Association of Adventist Forums Volume 17, Number 3
PSYCHIATRY
I N A D V E N T I S M
Adventist Beginnings in Psychiatry
Scott Peck Under Analysis
Should Therapists Witness to Patients?
SPECTRUM
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In This Issue
Vol. 17, No.3, February 1987
Special Section: Adventism and Psychiatry
Adventists and Psychiatry-A Short History of the Beginnings George T. Harding, IV 2
Should Adventist Psychiatrists Urge Patients to Become Christians? Yes Alan A. Nelson 7
Should Adventist Psychiatrists Urge Patients to Become Christians? No Bruce Anderson 12
Scott Peck Under Analysis: The Naming of Evil and Demons Roy Benton 16
Articles
Women Pastors & Baptism: Lorna Linda University Church Takes the Plunge Clark Davis 25
North Pacific Union Reasserts Constitutional Independence Rosemary Watts 29
L' Affaire Curran Richard McCormick, S. J. 37
I. Fellowship Is as Important as Theological Dissent Duncan Eva 45
II. Dissent Is the Lifeblood of the Church's Renewal Lawrence T. Geraty 48
The New Church Hymnal: Hosanna in the Highest! Will Stuivenga 51
Poetry
Thinking of the End John McDowell 34
My Fossil Fish John McDowell 36
News Update
Tobacco War Continues: The Battle to Ban Ads Melvin L. Wulf 59
Reviews
Spicer Biography: Not as Interesting as the Man John Hamer 61
Archetypes of the Mind: Excavating Biblical Symbolism Leona Glidden Running 62
Responses 64
About This Issue both active members of the church, take divergent
positions on how Adventists should relate their faith
to their clinical practice. And Roy Benton, trained
A lthough psychiatric treatment has
in philosophy, scrutinizes a book by a favorite
sometimes come under suspicion
psychiatrist of many Adventists, Scott Peck, one of
within Adventism, psychiatrists have played
the most widely read authors in America.
significant roles in the church. It is also true that
The first three of these essays were presented in
Adventists have been active in psychiatry from
1982 at the first formal meeting of Adventist psy
the days when the specialty was first emerging in
chiatrists. We are grateful to Ronald Geraty, then
the United States. In our special section George
the medical director of both Fuller Memorial and
T. Harding, IV, recoqnts how the same gener
New England Memorial Hospitals, who organized
ation of Hardings that produced a United States
the two-day session and provided us with the
president also produced the first Adventist psy
essays. -The Editors
chiatrist. Alan Nelson and Bruce Anderson,
Special Section: Adventism and Psychiatry
Adventists and Psychiatry-
A Short History of the Beginnings
by George T. Harding, IV
J ust six days before Adventism's the term medical psychologist was used, to be
.. great disappointment of October followed from 1880 to 1920 by the term alienists
22, 1844, another event took place that would (a word borrowed from the French).
have historic importance for American psy The year 1900 not only began a new century,
chiatry. Thirteen physicians met at the Jones Ho but was also the year Sigmund Freud published
tel in Philadelphia. All were among the superin his revolutionary Interpretation of Dreams, and
tendents of the 24 in.sane asylums in the country. the year my grandfather, George T. Harding, II,
They included the author of a treatise on the graduated from the University of Michigan with
medical jurisprudence of insanity and the a degree in medicine. A faithful Seventh-day
founder of the American Journal of Insanity. Adventist, he had attended Battle Creek College,
Their new Asso_ciation of Medical Superin and is regarded as the fIrst Adventist psychia
tendents of American Institutions for the Insane trist. The institution he founded in Worthington,
later became the American Medico-Psycholo Ohio, trained many of the early Seventh-day
gical Association, and finally the still-dominant Adventist psychiatrists. To tell their history is to
American Psychiatric Association. recount the beginnings of psychiatry in the
Seventh-day Adventism and American psy Adventist church. 1
chiatry emerged at the same time during the last My grandfather followed his father and
half of the 19th century. While Adventism was mother into the fIeld of medicine. Upon grad
grappling to bring hope and meaning out of the uation from the University of Michigan, he
grief and despair of the Great Disappointment, intended to join them in their country practice.
American psychiatry was consolidating its But the dean of Michigan's School of Medicine,
professional efforts to deal more effectively with noting that he suffered from cardiac aftereffects
the pain of emotional suffering. Psychiatry of rheumatic fever, recommended that instead of
evolved slowly. During most of the 19th cen establishing his own practice, he "choose a
tury caring for the institutionalized mentally ill sheltered life." It was this that led him to join the
was its·· task Professional meetings often staff of the Columbus State Hospital in Colum
.f ocused on the heating and plumbing of asylums bus, Ohio, where he became interested in
and trends in the census of inmates. The word sickness of the mind as well as of the body.2
psychiatry did not even appear until two years For fIve years he gained experience in psy
after the 1844 meeting of asylum physicians in chiatric hospital treatment.
Philadelphia. It was 1890 before the word George T. Harding, II, anticipated his older
psychiatry was fIrst noted in an American brother's move from Ohio to Washington, D. C.
dictionary. Through much of the 19th century (Warren G. Harding would not become pres
ident of the United States until 1921.) From
George T. Harding, IV, is the medical director of Harding 1905-1907 he served his church as superin
Hospital in Worthington, Ohio. tendent of the Washington Sanitarium. Seventh-
Volume 17, Number 3 3
day Adventists made quite an entrance into the the institution. He was seeking, he said, to
nation's capital by installing the sanitarium in establish "an ideal, self-supporting medical cen
General Grant's magnificent Victorian mansion tre," where "a capable, mature, consecrated
on Iowa Circle. (The mansion still dominates Christian physician would find his sole delight
what is now called Logan Circle, the only one of in working [here] until the close of time."
many in Washington still circled by all of its Four years later my grandfather moved his
original Victorian homes.) institution to the countryside south of Colum
W hen George T. Harding, II, re bus, and changed its name to the Columbus
turned to Columbus he opened an Rural Rest Home. Early on he began to attract
office across from the state capitol. Initially, he young people who later went on to make signif
worked in Internal Medicine and became a icant contributions to the medical work. He
Fellow of the American College of Physicians. sought out physicians, nurses, physical thera
He was known in Columbus as a physician pists, and others. Several of the physicians, in
widely read in all areas. "Talk therapy" was addition to Stella Hauser, were women. Dr.
always part of his method of treament, long Anna Laird, an ex-missionary, arrived with no
before it was called psychotherapy. He might previous psychiatric training, but stayed to
take a patient out and play croquet, making become an important member of the staff. After
comments as they played through a game. graduation from the University of Colorado
Gradually, he came to specialize in psychiatric School of Medicine, Drs. Mary and Fred Weber
treatment. His approach was part of the joined the rest home staff. Dr. Mary was
broadening of treatment that included not only particularly good with very disturbed women.
psychotics, the focus of psychiatry throughout Dr. Fred, who specialized in working with
the 19th century, but also neurotics and others alcoholics, was the first of many succeeding
less severely incapacitated. members of the staff to take additional training at
He became acquainted with Sigmund Freud's the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas.
work, and incorporated some of Freud's new
ideas into his own clinical practice. In addition,
"Talk therapy" was always part
he read the ideas of Adolph Meyer, William
of George Harding, IT's, method
Allinson White, and other early American psy
long before it was caUedpsycho-
chiatrists. There were times when he used drugs
therapy. '
such as chloral hydrate and paraldehyde.
His practice also reflected his Adventist
heritage. His Columbus office included a "Battle Frank Cobban, who was Director of Nursing
Creek-style" treatment room. Throughout his working at the rest home, later encouraged
career he, like John Harvey Kellogg, stressed psychiatric nursing as associate director of the
the importance of hydrotherapy, including the Medical Department of the General Conference
calming effect of warm "neutral baths" on insom and later director of nursing at the Glendale and
niacs.3 Paradise Valley sanitariums in California.
My grandfather's practice grew, and for a In 1919 my grandfather purchased a 50-acre
while Grant Hospital in Columbus gave him "an summer estate in Worthington, Ohio, to which
entire floor" in which to carry on his treatments. he moved his institution. Dr. Mary Weber's
In 1916, with the assistance of Dr. Stella regimen for patients in the "women's cottage"
Hauser, a Seventh-day Adventist physician with carried on the tradition of Battle Creek (and
some experience in psychiatric hospitals, he incidentally the schedule now followed in the
opened the Indianola Rest Home for women most fashionable 20th-century spas). An early
only. The eight patients who fIlled the facility morning glass of fniit juice was followed by a
suffered primarily from depression. His relig cold mitten friction, "a healthy breakfast," a
ious faith was part of his motivation for starting brisk walk, and hydrotherapy. Lunch preceded
4 Spectrum
a period of rest, then activities in the craft shop. location, he set out to recruit Dr. Alfred Berthier
Appointments with the physician were held Olsen, son of D. A. Olsen, one-time president
throughout the ~ay. After supper there was an of the General Conference of Seventh-day
educational acitivity, then a massage and a hot Adventists, and one of a group sponsored by the
cereal beverage. As needed, to help the women General Conference Committee through their
to sleep, the day's activities ended with a wet medical training at the University of Michigan.
sheet pack, a fomentation, or a neutral bath. For the previous 18 years Olsen had been the
Other aspects of the Battle Creek program superintendent of the Adventist Caterham
were .utilized. Evening educational programs, Sanitarium in England. "If you are interested in
called "parlor talks," were always important. A teaching and preaching health," he had written
highlight was a "question box" in which patients Olsen, "you will help a lot in our plans. It is a
were invited to submit questions. Once a week work I could easily kill myself at, because it
Dr. Harding or an associate would respond. appeals to me more strongly the older I get, the
Spiritual issues often recurred in these sessions. more I learn and the more I realize the needs of
the work in its closing days."4 Olsen came.
My grandfather 'responded that But my grandfather also insisted on hiring a
competent business manager "who would
if he [the patient] were going to
demonstrate what an advantage it would be to
die he might as well accomplish
have a real business manager, one that knows
something worthwhile before he
what good business demands and a recognition
departed this life.
of the principles of justice that no one de
partment can ignore the interests of the other."
An experience remembered by the staff is When Olson resisted bringing a nonphysician
reminiscent of Ellen White's care of her hus into the management, my grandfather insisted on
band, James. During the 1920' s .a pharmacist the value of specialization and division of labor.
with an involutional depression, including nihil "There will be so much legitimate work for us
istic delusions and hopelessness for the future, doctors to do that we ought not to have time to
told my .g randfather that his condition was try to do what a really worthwhile businessman
hopeless. Indeed, he felt he was dying and by can do better. The care of the nervous and
nightfall would be ready for burial. My grand depressed requires much personal attention from
father responded that if he were going to die he the physician who can make an intimate ac
might as well accomplish something worthwhile quaintance with the mental conflicts of patients.
before he departed this life. Thereupon, he was Our place will stand out above others, if we
directed to take a rake and hoe and clean up the provide the proper medical supervision in the
weeds from the flowerbeds in front of the patient person of physicians who know the victorious
unit. Despite the patient's protestations of his life and have time to make friends with our
terminal state, my grandfather frrmly told him to patients. "5
begin his work, which he finally did. By In 1934, at the age of 55, my grandfather
nightfall the patient was much improved. The died. He had steadfastly refused to name the
prescriplion of a monotonous, non gratifying institution after himself. But soon after his
task helped the patient both to relieve guilt by burial it became the Harding Sanitarium, and in
doing penance and to externalize his internally 1940 the Harding Hospital. Most of the early
directed rage. Adventist psychiatrists received their training at
My grandfather realized that pri Harding Hospital.
. .. vate clinics like the Mayo and At first, my father, George T. Harding, III,
Menninger clinics needed highly trained medical planned on being an internist. He graduated in
personnel and "shrew(i management." The year 1928 from the College of Medical Evangelists.
he set up the Harding Sanitarium in its present There psychiatry had been minimized. "They
Volume 17, Number 3 5
were afraid to teach it," he said. "Church leaders of Medicine. Two years later provisional appro
with few exceptions spoke against psychiatry val was granted by the Council on MediCal
and psychiatric treatment, stating that psychiatry Education of the American Medical Association
was a thing to be avoided." They argued that "it to offer a psychiatric residency program at Lorna
was largely hypnotism and therefore, a thing of Linda, in addition to the psychiatric residency
the devil." But after observing the psychiatric program at Harding' Hospital. From 1982" to
treatment provided by his father, and reading 1986 Evans was vice president of medical affairs
Karl Menninger's The Hwnan Mind, my father
became increasingly enthusiastic about psychia
Church leaders, almost without
try. In 1929 he began teaching psychiatry at the
exception, argued that psychia
Ohio State University School of Medicine.
try was hypnotism and of the
When his father died in 1934, he succeeded him
devil.
as head of the sanitarium. He proved to be a
master at brief evaluations and effective clinical
interventions. He continued his clinical practice at Lorna Linda University, a post he had pre'
until the age of 80, maintaining his interest in viously filled from 1976to 1979.
psychiatry until his death in November, 1985. Over the past 50 years Harding, III, and
George T. Harding, III, may not have con Evans and their associates have trained a
tinued all of the Battle Creek customs practiced remarkable group of Adventist psychiatrists.
by his father, but he did believe that "a person Among them are CharlesL. Anderson, who
has to have a little bit of Christianity in him in developed a strong psychiatry program at Hins
order to want to be a psychiatrist, or else he has dale Sanitarium and Hospital, as did Bruce
to be the kind of psychiatrist that shouldn't be a Anderson, at St. Helena Health Center;' Henry
psychiatrist." His appointment and tenure as Andren at Washington Sanitarium and Hospital;
president of the College of Medical Evangelists and Harold Caviness, at Battle Creek Adventist
(now Lorna Linda University School of Med Health Center. Lawrence Sensemen first served
icine) from 1948 to 1951 was a symbol of the at Fuller Memorial Hospital in South Attenboro,
growing denominational acceptance of psychi Massachusetts; he later' taught at Vellore
atry. Other psychiatrists he trained have accel Christian Medical College in India, then returned
erated that process. to direct the program at Glendale Adventist
Harrison S. Evans, a graduate of the College Hospital. Robert Wolgamott served at Portland
of Medical Evangelists, came to the Harding Adventist Medical Center.' .
Sanitarium in 1936 as its first resident. He One of the most effective bridges
received additional training in neurology and between Adventist psychiatrists
psychiatry at the College of Medical Evangelists and church leaders and pastors has been the
with Cyril Courville, M.D., at the Menninger Institute on Mental Health for Ministers held
Clinic and the New York Psychiatric Institute. annually since 1955 at the Harding Hospital.
He married Dr. Ruth Harding, the sister of Over the years such well-known denominational
George T. Harding, III, and became co-medical leaders as Roy Allan Anderson, director of the
director and director of residency training at the General Conference Ministerial Department, and
Harding Sanitarium. Evans and Harding, III, Charles Wittschiebe, for many years a professor
were among the first Seventh-day Adventist of pastoral counseling at the SDA Theological
psychiatrists who innovatively developed a Seminary, have participated, as well as many
creative psychiatric treatment approach that local and conference presidents. Gradually, if
integrated Adventist mental health teachings somewhat grudgingly, pastoral counseling by a
with growing scientific knowledge. In 1962 pastor or even therapy from a "Christian psy
Evans became the chairman of the department of chiatrist has become accepted within the church.
psychiatry at the Lorna Linda University School However, the long resistance and lingering
6 Spectrum
suspicion of many Adventists to psychiatry is intellectual constructs than on the nature of
one reason Adventist psychiatrists have not things. Recently, George Engle, of the depart
contributed more seminal writings to the field. ment of psychiatry and medicine at the Univer
Many Adventist psychiatrists are hesitant to risk sity of Rochester, noted that "for medicine in
alienation from their denominational community. particular, the neglect of the whole inherent in
At the same time, many Adventist psychiatrists the reductionism of the biomedical model is
have unfortunately felt too insecure about their largely responsible for the physician's preoccu
acceptance within the mainstream of psychiatry. pation with the body and with disease and the
As a result, Adventist psychiatrists have not corresponding neglect of the patient as a per
even advanced the literature concerning the son."8
relationship of psychiatry to religion. Adventism and modem psychiatry have devel
Others, like the Menningers, have made much oped simultaneously. Each shares some basic
more of a contribution than Adventists to discus presuppositions. It is time for Adventist psychi
sions about religion and psychiatry.6 That is atrists to shed their defensiveness within both
ironic, since the Menningers themselves ac the Adventist and professional communities.
knowledge that Battle Creek Sanitarium had a Adventists should feel not only a professional,
major impact on American medicine in the but also an historical and religious mandate to go
Midwest, including the Mayo clinic, which in beyond neurophysiology and psycho-phar
tum, influenced the Menninger Clinic'? Not only macology to inquire into the entire range of
Adventism's history of creative treatment, but psychological processes-the unconscious, ob
also its fundamental commitment to the ject relations, the importance of persons, indi
"wholeness of man" provide a solid foundation vidual dynamics, and group processes. We
from which Adventist psychiatrists can more should feel compelled to be in the forefront of
boldly advance scientific and clinical inquiry, those reaching beyond the known to study the
and the relationship of psychiatry to religion. diadic relationships of couples, the family, the
From Ellen White and John Harvey Kellogg to community, the subculture, the culture, the
Graham Maxwell and Jack Provonsha, Advent society, and the nation. If we wish to be on the
ists have stressed the interrelationship of mind frontier of our field of study and meet our
and body. That view is now endorsed by the special challenge as Adventist Christian psychia
giants of psychiatry. Carl Jung has said that the trists, we must undertake that greatest chal
distinction between mind and body is an artificial lenge--exploring the complex relationships of
dichotomy, based more on the peculiarities of persons, including their relationship to God.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
1. I am indebted to Donald Anderson, M.D., assis iumRealty Co. (1919).
tant professor of psychiatry, Lorna Linda University 4. George T. Harding, II, personal letter to A. B.
School of Medicine, for his research into the history of Olson, M.D. (1920).
Adventist psychiatry, and his report at a 1982 meeting of 5. Harding, personal letter.
Adventist psychiatrists in Toronto. With his permission, 6. Karl A. Menninger, Whatever Became of Sin?
at various points throughout this essay, I have drawn on (New York: Hawthorn Press, 1973).
his work. 7. Karl A. Menninger, personal communication to
2. George T. Harding, ill, In Memoriam-a Life George T. Harding, IV (October 1981).
Sketch of George Tryon Harding, II (1934). 8. George Engel, American Journal of Psychiatry,
3. George T. Harding, II, Prospectus of the Sanitar- Vol. 137, No.5 (May 1980).
Should Adventist Psychiatrists
Urge Their Patients To Become
Christians? Yes
by Alan A. Nelson
I s it appropriate for an Adventist which Jesus must be sacrificed to atone for the
psychiatrist to discuss his or her murderous wishes that men have toward their
faith while treating a patient? For many Seventh fathers. He goes on to say that Jesus repre
day Adventist psychiatrists this concept of sented the attainment wishes of sons to be like
"sharing one's faith" evokes the idea of their fathers, since Jesus was one with God.3 In
"evangelism," or the approach of a door-to-door essence, Freud taught that religion, belief in
hard-sell, Bible-waving, text-quoting, soul God, and monotheism were adaptive constructs
winning fundamentalist. Most medical profes invented by the minds of humans when faced
sionals do not favor this particular format of with a complex, frustrating universe in which
sharing their faith. It seems a forced and uncom they felt overwhelmed, insignificant, and help
fortable invasion of personal privacy. less.4
Psychiatrists have been particularly reluctant Another important reason psychiatrists avoid
to integrate Christianity into their pratice. There discussing their religious beliefs with patients is
are a variety of reasons for this, some of which I that many therapists are uncomfortable with this
will discuss below. most personal part of their lives. It may repre
sent an area of conflict within the therapist,
Reasons for A voiding Religion
which may be manifest by resistance to discus
sing such issues in therapy.
One important reason is that over Still another reason for reluctance on the part
the last century psychiatry has of psychiatrists is that their attempts to incor
been, at least in theory, without a God. Early porate a spiritual dimension to their practices
views of religion by psychiatrists in this century may have backfired. Feeling somewhat embar
were colored to a significant degree by the rassed professionally, they have either given up
teaching of Sigmund Freud. 1 further attempts, become sarcastic, or referred
In Civilization and Its Discontents Freud the patients to their pastor "who deals with
refers to religion as a "mass delusion" in which religion."
people "attempt to procure a certainty of happi Two unfortunate consequences have fol
ness and protection against suffering through a lowed. First, the pastor's role has been degraded
delusional remolding of reality."2 In Totem and to a last resort, end-of-the-line consult. Second,
Taboo Freud refers to Christianity as a "myth" in it gives further credence to the myth that
psychiatrists must only deal with the mind and
the pastor/minister must deal with "the sou1." It
Alan Nelson is a psychiatrist practicing in Seal Rock,
implies that these two concepts are mutually
Oregon.
8 Spectrum
exclusive. This makes an unfortunate, artificial Christian psychotherapy, as I understand it,
division in the delivery of health care. It limits does not deny the significance of the bio-psycho
the role of the physician and the minister and social aspects of humans, but seeks to expand
does not accurately represent the concept of the definition. Christian psychotherapy assumes
ministry to the whole person. that disease and distortion can occur by a
This artificial division of the person is disequilibrium in all of these areas-including
exemplified in Victor Frankl's book The Doctor our spiritual dimension. As Paul Toumier says,
and the Soul. Many of his works are rich in "the doctor who wants to really understand man,
insight, but I disagree with his statement here must add to this knowledge an experience of
that: spiritual nature. Man is not just a body and a
the goal of psychotherapy is to heal the soul, to mind. He is a spiritual being."8
make it healthy; the aim of religion is something This is not to state that all religious beliefs are
essentially different-to save the soul. Medical mini by their nature healthy or mature. Indeed,
stry does not aspire to be a substitute for the proper
distortions of religious beliefs can result in
cure of souls which is practiced by the minister or
enormous pathology. But, for better or for
priest.5
worse, the patient's religious practices are
important. One can disagree with their princi
Reasons/or
ples but ethically they must not be ignored; they
Discussing Religion are an important part of the patient's value
system. All therapists must deal with the ques
tion of values-not only the patient's values, but
H Ow does the view of Christian also their own. To a great degree the therapy a
psychotherapy differ from this? patient receives depends upon the personal
Essentially, it states that a correct concept of the beliefs of the therapist. His view of life and his
nature of humans is central to one's view of value system will be reflected in his treatment.
psychotherapy. Over the past century the behav This is illustrated by Bergin in his paper,
ioral sciences have developed the bio-psycho "Psychotherapy and Religious Values,"9 where
social model of understanding humanity, often he states that it is impossible for a therapist to
pictured as three overlapping spheres. From this provide a truly neutral therapy. Who and what
model of wholeness stems our concept of the we are will, in some form, come across to our
disease process: alterations in any of these patients.
spheres can result in pathology, maladaptive For those Christian therapists who hold to the
behavior, and suffering. bio-psycho-spiritual model, an investigation of
Noticeably lacking from this concept of one's faith may be seen as essential to aiding the
humanity is any reference to a spiritual dimen healing process of psychotherapy. Indeed for the
sion. I join with many of my Christian col nonpsychotic, nondelusional patient, a true con
leagues in believing that a correct understanding version experience is seen as a psychologically
of the nature of humanity states that humans integrative, rather than disintegrative, experi
were created in the image of God, designed to ence.10 Many Christians are reluctant to see psy
live in fellowship and communion with him, and chiatrists because they fear that this part of their
that the human identity and human dilemma can value system will be explained away as merely a
never be fully understood apart from this belief based on neurotic needs.
dynamic relationship.6 This statement reempha If I were to take a strictly psychoanalytical
sizes the Judeo-Christian view that the person approach it would be unethical for me to discuss
is a unity which cannot be treated holistically my faith in Christ with a patient, for by doing
without being treated spiritually. Unfortunately, so I would be introducing a delusional system to
no formally recognized school of psychotherapy the patient. But I have chosen not to accept that
represents this viewpoint.7 position, nor do I believe it to be accurate.