MORE THAN A BOOK REVIEW: Two Books on Mental Health

Mental health issues have become part of the zeitgeist of our culture. We are bombarded with labels, diagnoses, and drugs and therapies to respond to them. Sadly too many Christians are too quick to embrace secular culture and secular brain science without filtering what they are being told through the truth of God’s word.

Thankfully there are many very good resources from a Reformed perspective which will help us sort out the ever-present mental health obsession of our Western society. Today I offer two books for your consideration.

Both of the books are by Dr Ed Welch. He holds a Ph.D. in neuropsychology and is a faculty member and counsellor at CCEF -- Christian Counselling and Educational Foundation -- an organization affiliated with Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. CCEF is an organization rooted in the Reformed Confessions and committed to bringing Jesus Christ and the gospel to bear on all areas of our lives within the context of the local church.

The first book I want to recommend is Blame It on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience. It explores the complex relationship between human behavior, biology, and moral / spiritual responsibility. Writing from a reformed infused biblical perspective, Welch seeks to help readers discern the difference between physical problems that affect the brain and spiritual problems rooted in sin, while avoiding both materialistic reductionism and overly simplistic moralism. His task, he writes, is “to introduce areas where the brain has received too little credit and to highlight where the brain has received too much blame. Sometimes it is legitimate to blame our misbehaviors on the brain, and sometimes it isn’t, and in some cases the answer is less than clear.”

The book is structured around a key distinction: the brain as a physical organ and the mind as the immaterial seat of thoughts, motives, and desires. Welch argues that while the brain can influence behavior—especially when damaged or chemically altered—it does not determine moral responsibility. This distinction frames his central thesis: biological factors can explain aspects of behavior, but they do not excuse sin. The Christian response, therefore, must integrate both medical understanding and biblical theology rooted in our redemption in Jesus Christ.

In the opening chapters, Welch begins with theology and outlines a biblical anthropology that situates human beings as united body-soul. He begins there because “theology is the lens through which Christians interpret all research, and it is essential that our lens be clear and accurate.” He bemoans the fact that too many Christians have taken off their “biblical lenses” entirely when they look at brain research. Through that lens he critiques the secular assumption that all behavior can be explained by brain chemistry or genetics, calling it a modern form of determinism. Instead, Welch proposes a dual approach that recognizes legitimate physical influences without neglecting spiritual realities.

The middle section of the book applies this framework to specific issues. His goal is to allow us to think biblically about specific issues. Welch discusses Alzheimer's and dementia, traumatic brain injury, depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), homosexuality, and alcoholism and addiction. As well as touching on others along the way. For each, he evaluates contemporary medical explanations, distinguishes between physical and moral / spiritual components, and suggests biblically grounded ways to respond. For instance, he treats Alzheimer’s and brain injury primarily as physical disorders requiring compassion and practical care, whereas he views alcoholism as a condition involving both biological predisposition and sinful choices. Whatever the cause of the issue it always must be framed within the hope and responsibility of the gospel.

Welch’s approach emphasizes that Scripture provides the ultimate lens for understanding human behavior. He encourages pastors, counselors, and lay Christians to resist the temptation to “blame it on the brain” whenever behavior seems beyond control. Instead, he advocates a compassionate realism—acknowledging suffering and complexity while maintaining that every person remains a moral agent before God.

The concluding chapters reiterate that Christians must be informed about neuroscience and psychology but not ruled by them. Welch calls for discernment: when a problem is clearly biological, medical help should be sought; when it is moral or spiritual, repentance and faith are the appropriate responses. In most cases, he contends, both elements are intertwined, requiring wisdom, humility, and dependence on Scripture.

His theme passage is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18,

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Overall, Blame It on the Brain? presents a carefully reasoned synthesis of theology and psychology. Welch’s central message is that while the brain affects how we live, it does not define who we are. Human beings are accountable, embodied souls—fallen yet redeemable through Christ—whose struggles must be addressed with both biblical truth and compassionate care.

The second book by Dr Welch is I Have a Psychiatric Diagnosis: What Does the Bible Say? Coming in at under 100 pages it is a concise exploration of how Christians can thoughtfully and faithfully respond to psychiatric diagnoses within a biblical framework. The work offers a balanced and accessible guide for those grappling with mental health labels, seeking to integrate medical insight with spiritual understanding. His goal in the work is “to take Scripture at its word. God speaks to everything… the more we have of him, the more we are strengthened in all our troubles.”

Welch begins by acknowledging that psychiatric diagnoses often bring both relief and confusion. They can provide a language to describe suffering and help guide treatment, yet they may also seem to define a person’s identity or diminish moral and spiritual dimensions of life. He emphasizes that a diagnosis is a description, not an explanation—it names patterns of behavior or emotion, but does not reveal their ultimate cause. This distinction serves as the foundation for his argument: while psychiatric categories can offer useful information, they do not replace the deeper interpretation provided by Scripture.

From there, Welch turns to the Bible’s understanding of human nature. He affirms that every person is an embodied soul—a unity of physical and spiritual life created in the image of God. Because of this, mental and emotional struggles cannot be reduced merely to brain chemistry, nor can they be treated as purely spiritual issues. Welch insists on a dual perspective: the physical body, including the brain, affects how people think and feel, yet the heart—biblically understood as the core of one’s desires and worship—remains central to moral and spiritual life.

Welch then explores how this anthropology shapes a Christian approach to four specific psychiatric conditions -- anxiety and panic attacks, trauma, depression, and narcissism. He encourages readers to seek medical care such as medications when appropriate, but to interpret all experiences in light of God’s Word. He writes, “Scripture adds this: physical treatments might have important benefits; spiritual growth in the midst of troubles has even more lasting and deeper benefits.” We must have the proper focus for dealing with our issues. Physical treatments are of benefit only on this side of death, spiritual training has enduring benefits that extend even beyond death.

The goal, then, is to view our suffering through the larger story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. This perspective anchors a believer’s identity not in a diagnosis or physical treatment, but in their union with Christ.

Throughout the book, Welch provides practical counsel for those living with psychiatric conditions and for those caring for them. He underscores that diagnoses can help identify areas of weakness or need, yet they never capture the fullness of a person. The church, therefore, plays a vital role as a community of truth and compassion—supporting individuals with both empathy and hope grounded in the gospel. Faithful care involves listening, learning from medical professionals, and helping sufferers interpret their struggles in the light of God’s promises.

In closing, Welch calls for humility and discernment. Christians should neither reject psychiatric insights wholesale nor accept them uncritically. Instead, they should use diagnostic categories as tools, not identities—always subordinating them to biblical wisdom. Ultimately, Welch directs readers to the comfort and authority of Scripture, reminding them that their truest diagnosis is not psychiatric but theological: sinners in need of grace, redeemed and renewed in Christ.

Before we are done let me say that I would heartily recommend anything and everything that CCEF put out. I have obviously not read all of their material, but they are an organization that does things the right way… and by the right way I mean the biblical, gospel-focused way.

If you have any questions about anything regarding mental health or related topics, look to CCEF first before exploring any other sources.

*One last thing. Check out the Here I Sit podcast for an episode covering the topic of mental health. It will be coming out soon.

Soli Deo Gloria