Citation

Leavey G, Rondon J, McBride P. Ment. Health Relig. Cult. 2011; 14(1): 65-74.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13674676.2010.502523

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The suicide rate in Northern Ireland, particularly among young men has grown rapidly in recent years. A relatively religious society, compared to other UK European regions, a needs assessment of clergy's pastoral response to mental illness and suicide was undertaken as part of the suicide prevention strategy. We carried out in-depth interviews with 37 clergy from a range of Christian denominations. While a compassionate response to suicide by clergy was commonly advocated, made permissible by an attribution to mental illness, there remain some misgivings about a "softer" theological stance towards suicide. This article describes clergy explanatory models of suicide and discusses the issue of cognitive dissonance on this subject. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; Suicide prevention; Religion; Mental illness; Pastoral care; Clergy