Christian communities and the theology of bearing witness may help those struggling with eating disorders, an Irish academic has said.
With Eating Disorder Awareness Week taking place from February 25 to March 3, Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics in Trinity’s Loyola Institute Jacob Erickson said: “Quite oftentimes with eating disorders there’s so much stigma and shame both self-imposed and culturally that it’s really difficult for people to tell their own stories. “Christian theology I think has this tremendous resources in the language of bearing witness to stories and hearing those stories.”
Getting help from a community that’s “bigger than yourself” may be intimidating, but could also be helpful he added.
“Somehow talking more openly about that and being welcoming to having those conversations and even just talking about the ways in which Christianity affirms bodiliness, it helps people feel more comfortable in telling their stories honestly.”
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