While browsing through the stacks of the local library, I ran across a new book by Kathleen Norris entitled – Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life. I would have been interested just for the subtitle alone, but the concept of acedia has intrigued me for some time as well.
Norris writes -
I believe that standard dictionary definitions of acedia as “apathy,” “boredom,” or “torpor” do not begin to cover it, and while we may find it convenient to regard it as a more primitive word for what we now term depression, the truth is much more complex.
Acedia has a long and complicated history, but Norris recognizes that this makes it ripe with possibilities to describe what has been left undescribable at the intersection of faith and psychology.
Norris admits to her personal experience with what she has come to know as depression and acedia and concludes -
The boundaries between depression and acedia are notoriously fluid; at the risk of oversimplifying, I would suggest that while depression is an illness treatable by counseling and medication, acedia is a vice that is best countered by spiritual practice and the discipline of prayer.
I look forward to digging deeper into the mystery of acedia through this book and possibly reflect further on how it has impacted my marriage, my ministry, my life, in upcoming posts.
It does sound interesting…
I don’t think I’ve seen that word before and if I had I certainly didn’t know the definition…
The Pistol fires back: It’s not one that is in common usage. That’s just one of the things that makes it a great word.
The connection is interesting. I, too, was unfamiliar with the term and, in fact, I know very little about the technicalities of depression as a label. But, it is nice to see the spiritual aspect acknowledged.
The Pistol fires back: Yeah, I’m really getting into this book and hope to blog a good bit about it in the days ahead.