Before I begin delving into this topic, a quick disclaimer. I am in no way a mental health professional, nor am I a pastor. I am a Christian opining on a topic near and dear to me. If you, or someone you know, needs psychological care, please seek it out. Likewise, if you need spiritual care, seek that out as well. It is ok to have Jesus and a therapist.

The term moral injury is thought to have its origin by a Vietnam veteran and peace activist named Camillo Bica, but in reality, poets, philosophers, and even the warriors themselves, have struggled with the inherent ethical dilemmas of war. More recently however, moral injury has been increasingly applied to more mundane activities and not simply restricted to the effects of war. In short, when we act against our deeply held ethical beliefs, we suffer a moral injury, albeit to varying degrees. Moving forward, I am going to be writing in the context of the definition of moral injury from The Moral Injury Project as Syracuse University. “Moral Injury is the damage done to one’s conscience or moral compass when that person perpetrates, witnesses, or fails to prevent acts that transgress one’s own values, beliefs, or ethical codes of conduct.”

Effects Of Moral Injury

Moral injury effects will vary in both severity and presentation from individual to individual, and even from instance to instance. Some moral injuries will have little or no apparent effects as we can resolve them quickly and without lingering harm. For example, if we have an argument with a spouse or a close friend, the moral injury resolution can be as simple as an earnest apology and the resulting forgiveness. While this would cause a moral injury for those who view the argument as contrary to their moral compass, the resolution prevents any lasting effects from it. For those things that are unresolved and lingering however, the effects are very real.

Moral injury can result in feelings of guilt, shame, anger, sadness, disgust, and can even lead to depression, and thoughts of suicide. None of these things should be taken lightly. On top of this, moral injuries can increase the effects and intensity of PTSD, Trouble sleeping is another common effect as is restlessness, anxiousness and anxiety. In short, moral injuries can be debilitating and prevent anyone from leading a healthy and complete life. For a term that is not overly well known, the effects are real and serious. Remember, it is ok to have Jesus and a therapist.

Whats Sin Got To Do With It

Sin separates us from God. This should not be a new revelation for Christians, but what might be, is that sin is contrary to the ethical codes and moral compass of a Christian. Sin damages us on the spiritual level, but also poses a huge threat to our psyche as well, due to the inherent moral injury present in sin. While I think that the idea of sin having a negative psychological effect has been present in Christianity, I think that the impact is properly felt when we understand it as a self inflicted moral injury subject to all of the effects of that.

If we look to the book of Matthew chapter 27:1-10. We find the aftermath of Judas betraying Christ. In this we find Judas hanging himself in the aftermath of his sin and betrayal. Is it so difficult to see that the self inflicted moral injury of Judas sin led him to suicide. King Saul is another example we could look to. If you read his story taking into account the moral injury his sin caused, he becomes an even more tragic figure, and an even more potent warning. Saul changes somewhat when we examine his story keeping moral injury in light. Instead of seeming simply psychologically unstable, the moral injury of warfare affects his social trust, failed relationships, despair, isolation, and eventual battlefield suicide. In a less extreme example, we see the immediate effects of Peter’s moral injury by denying Christ as he goes off to weep upon the realization of his actions.

As Christians, we are fortunate to serve a just, but merciful God who will forgive us our sin when we turn to Him, but while that may be the beginning of healing form the moral injury of sin, it often is not the ending. With forgiveness, we heal the separation from God, but all to often, the psychological effects still remain and need tending. As Christians, I think that we have either forgotten that, or never realized it in the first place. Keep in mind, it is ok to have Jesus and a therapist.

Wrapping Up

In my experience, many churches have in one way or another ignored the reality of mental illness and negative psychological effects. This ranges from the “pray it away” strategy to simply dismissing it as not in their realm of concern, and numerous things in between. No, the church is not a substitute for mental health care in any way, but for the inherent moral injury of sin in the very least, it needs to be a part of the recovery. In reality, most mental health professionals agree that spiritual beliefs in general are helpful in treatment. We need to stop trying to treat our spiritual well being and out mental and emotional well being as separate things, and, combined with hour physically well being, treat them as a whole. That is how we were created after all. That means that, like it or not, the church plays a role in all three. For those of you who may want to read more about moral injury, there are a variety of free resources such as The Moral Injury Project as Syracuse University and The Resilience Resource and many more.

By thinking of sin as a moral injury, we can understand the impact of it better. I think that the numerous calls to holiness in scripture take on a different light as we can see that the command “Be holy for I the Lord your God am holy” is not simply a command from God, but a message from God about the way to protect our psyche from the damage of moral injury that results from sin. This just touches the surface of a fairly complex problem and is of course not professional advice. I can not stress enough the importance of mental health, and the necessity to look at it from a holistic approach and not simply relegate it to the realm of therapists, but rather as a part of the whole of human experience. Understanding the moral injury that results from sin is a part of that process, but is not a substitute for care when you need it. Sin damages us in way we have not fully thought about. Understanding how it does is the first step toward healing that damage. As always, remember, it is ok to have Jesus and a therapist.