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A review by aegagrus
Dust in the Blood: A Theology of Life with Depression by Jessica Coblentz
3.5
Dust in the Blood consists of two sections. In the first, Coblentz grounds her discussion of chronic depression by using first-person narratives (including her own) and Heideggerian phenomenology to describe depression in terms of Unheimlichkeit. Coblentz describes the religious angst that can be occasioned by this sense of living in a world mysteriously denuded of value and meaning and provides some critiques of common Christian theodicies that rationalize depressive suffering as either penance or as instruction. Interestingly, she observes that these theodicies betray a mindset strikingly similar to the post-Enlightenment secular mindset, obsessed with "proving" some particular etiological account of depression. Following Karen Killby, Coblentz goes on to argue that regardless of how right or wrong such explanations might be, their essential flaw concerns positionality; it may be appropriate for a depression sufferer to find some particular meaning in their condition, but it is inappropriate for someone else to try to impose such a meaning.
In the second part of her book, Coblentz attempts to provide "theological resources" which may or may not be useful to depression sufferers seeking ways to autonomously understand their experiences. Specifically, she is concerned with the "sacred possibility of meaningless suffering", an interpretative avenue she feels is neglected in much of Christian discourse. She examines Hagar's wilderness experience in Genesis 21, arguing that the biblical narrative emphasizes God's attention and presence to Hagar's dislocation and suffering without necessarily affirming that her suffering was justified. Coblentz's theological reflection concludes with an application of Delores Williams' soteriological thought to the notion that, for sufferers of chronic depression, daily adaptation and "small victories" may be deeply salvific.
Coblentz is to be commended for the seriousness with which she reflects on her role as a theologian, making clear repeatedly that the reflections she provides in part two may or may not be useful to any given person and are not to be imposed from the outside. She is also to be commended for the intensity with which she rejects a prevailing theological landscape which often leads the Church to ignore or downplay earthly suffering rather than committing to accompaniment of and allyship with those who suffer.
Coblentz's argumentation is not always completely satisfying. For one thing, the critiques she levels against prevailing theodicies are of necessity far from conclusive. As she is more interested in critiquing the act of theodicy itself, with Killby, this shortcoming is not a significant blow. More damagingly, her discussion of Hagar in the wilderness sometimes feels superficial. This too makes a lot of sense; she's working with what amounts to a scriptural footnote and is trying to keep her reflections broad enough to remain useful across different metaphysical accounts of God. One also gets the sense that she is concerned that further editorializing may risk imposing meaning on sufferers in the way she rejects. As I see it, however, if Coblentz wants to provide elective "theological resources", it needn't be a betrayal to sketch out these resources a little further.
Overall, Dust in the Blood is an inventive and compelling book, grounded in and strengthened by its reliance on first-person depression narratives. This is a book which will be useful to many Christians suffering with their own depression or accompanying depressed loved ones. Though Coblentz's reference points are learned ones, her book does not assume any background in medical or philosophical treatments of depression. Some background in Christian theological terms will be helpful but is not requisite.
In the second part of her book, Coblentz attempts to provide "theological resources" which may or may not be useful to depression sufferers seeking ways to autonomously understand their experiences. Specifically, she is concerned with the "sacred possibility of meaningless suffering", an interpretative avenue she feels is neglected in much of Christian discourse. She examines Hagar's wilderness experience in Genesis 21, arguing that the biblical narrative emphasizes God's attention and presence to Hagar's dislocation and suffering without necessarily affirming that her suffering was justified. Coblentz's theological reflection concludes with an application of Delores Williams' soteriological thought to the notion that, for sufferers of chronic depression, daily adaptation and "small victories" may be deeply salvific.
Coblentz is to be commended for the seriousness with which she reflects on her role as a theologian, making clear repeatedly that the reflections she provides in part two may or may not be useful to any given person and are not to be imposed from the outside. She is also to be commended for the intensity with which she rejects a prevailing theological landscape which often leads the Church to ignore or downplay earthly suffering rather than committing to accompaniment of and allyship with those who suffer.
Coblentz's argumentation is not always completely satisfying. For one thing, the critiques she levels against prevailing theodicies are of necessity far from conclusive. As she is more interested in critiquing the act of theodicy itself, with Killby, this shortcoming is not a significant blow. More damagingly, her discussion of Hagar in the wilderness sometimes feels superficial. This too makes a lot of sense; she's working with what amounts to a scriptural footnote and is trying to keep her reflections broad enough to remain useful across different metaphysical accounts of God. One also gets the sense that she is concerned that further editorializing may risk imposing meaning on sufferers in the way she rejects. As I see it, however, if Coblentz wants to provide elective "theological resources", it needn't be a betrayal to sketch out these resources a little further.
Overall, Dust in the Blood is an inventive and compelling book, grounded in and strengthened by its reliance on first-person depression narratives. This is a book which will be useful to many Christians suffering with their own depression or accompanying depressed loved ones. Though Coblentz's reference points are learned ones, her book does not assume any background in medical or philosophical treatments of depression. Some background in Christian theological terms will be helpful but is not requisite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, and Suicide