Monday, April 08, 2013

Death of Rick Warren's Son a Call to Address Mental Illness, Samuel Rodriguez Says


The tragedy of the 27-year-old son of Pastor Rick Warren taking his own life after a lifelong struggle with mental illness calls for a commitment by Christians to help create space for and minister to those with mental illnesses, says the Rev.Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

"Our collective heart stands broken as a result of Pastor Rick Warren's loss; the passing of his son Matthew. We pray for healing and strength for the Warren and Saddleback family," said one of the most influential evangelical Hispanics in America in a statement Saturday.

"Yet, this tragedy facilitates an opportunity if not an obligation for the Christian community to address mental illness," said Rodriguez on the day Warren, an internationally known Christian leader at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., made the announcement about his son


Mental illness exists in and outside of the church community, said Rodriguez. "Christians struggle with depression and even suicidal thoughts. It does not make you less of a Christian. Just like heart disease or cancer does not dilute our Christianity, neither does mental illness."

However, Rodriguez added, "we must stand committed to 'creating space' and providing ministry to those that struggle with depression, and other mental illnesses." He suggested the church of Jesus Christ should partner with medical professionals to bring attention to "this silent illness with grace, compassion and love."

Suffering from mental illness is not a sin, the Hispanic leader underlined, and added, "Yet, not addressing it, may very well be." Read more

Also read
Rick & Kay Warren grieve son's suicide

2 comments:

RMBruton said...

Unanswered questions:
Did he do this at his own home or his parents'? Who owned the gun? Why, with his mental state did he either have a gun or gain access to a gun? Had he not been under a physician's/psychiatrist's care? Did it not occur to the parents that he needed to be monitored? If he was prone to these bouts why not utilize suicide precautions? Or, was this kept to a low profile because it was the skeleton in Rick Warren's closet, like the Kennedy daughter we never hear about? You can't ask these questions on StandFirm.

Robin G. Jordan said...

Richard,

If you read the numerous articles about Matthew Warren's suicide, you will find the answers to most of your questions. His depression was not a secret. He gave no warning that he was going to kill himself. It apparently was not premeditated. (I had a friend who did the same thing.) He also killed himself in his own home.

The Warrens are devastated by the loss of their son. If anything good can come from it, his death can be used to call Christians to address mental illness in and outside the Christian community.