Anglican Theological Review
Call for Papers: Mental Health Crisis
This special issue of ATR is devoted to the national mental health crisis that began during the Coronavirus pandemic and continues in its aftermath. We invite established and emerging scholars to publish research and practice-based reflections on the national mental health crisis as it relates to theology, faith, spirituality, congregational life, pastoral care, and educational and training programs. Declining mental health impacts every aspect of daily living including physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. We also note that part of healing the Body of Christ includes recognizing that mental wellness is essential for human flourishing.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, several organizations, most notably the World Health Organization (2022), observed a 25% increase in prevalence of depression and anxiety worldwide, with younger people and women worst hit. Major explanations included multiple stress factors such as social isolation, fear of infection, and financial worries. In the U.S., there was also a significant mental health decline. According to the Pew Research Center, 41% of adults have experienced high levels of psychological distress, with young people between the ages of 18-29 faring worse (Gramlich, 2023). The dramatic increase in mental health concerns also grew for communities-of-color. Total cumulative data shows that Black, Latinx/e, Asian, and Indigenous peoples have experienced higher rates of covid-19 deaths than white communities (Holl & Artiga, 2022). These death tolls paired other pandemic-related stressors such as higher infection rates, loss of employment, loss of health insurance, income, and
childcare were large contributors to the mental health crisis.
Furthermore, the challenges that unfolded during the pandemic crisis have been exasperated by sociopolitical events that impacted communities-of-color such as, the murder of Black and Brown people by police, such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the murder of six Asian women in Atlanta (Thomeer, et al., 2023); the immigration policies along the border changing for immigrants seeking asylum, and the loss of tribal elders who were carriers of traditional knowledge and language (Meade, et al., 2022). All of these stressors have contributed to the decline in mental wellness.
We invite submissions on a wide range of topics including but not limited to: explorations of the intersections of theology and mental illness/mental health; practice-based essays on the impact of the crisis on congregations and clergy; hopeful community responses; considerations of theological and pastoral education related to mental illness/mental health, and so on.
Please submit a brief proposal (a page or less) to guest editor, Prof. Stephanie Ramirez
stephanie.ramirez@ssw.edu and ATR co-editor-in-chief Jennifer S. Hughes
jhughes@anglicantheologicalreview.org by November 15, 2024.
If your proposal is accepted the full submission will be due March 1, 2025 .
Special Issue: Theologies of Choice After Dobbs
Guest Editor: The Rev. Dr. Danielle Tumminio Hansen
Link to Special Edition Published Summer 2024:
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/atra/106/3