Bradley Strelau
PhD student

 

Current situation

I am an ordained minister in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of Canada, ministering at Town Centre Church in Coquitlam, BC, Canada.

 

Research Area

Anchored Resilience: Experiencing the Eucharist as Entrance into an Apocalyptic Narrative

While existing research has acknowledged the inverse relationship between religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and depression, there has been growing recognition of the vital link specifically between communal religion and emotional resilience. However, whilst evidence is increasing that religious involvement seems to serve as a natural anti-depressant, a piece of the empirical picture is missing, as scant attention has been given to delineating the specific mechanisms within communal religious traditions that act to alleviate or deter depression.

My research will explore the intersection of depression and the Christian communal religious practice of the Eucharist; exploring its potential impact on depression when experienced as an anchoring event in the apocalyptic narrative. Specifically, how can the Church catechize and offer an experience of the Eucharist in a way that offers resilience and/or relief by responding to the felt needs of Christians with a lived experience of depression?

 

Supervisory team

The Revd Dr Jane Leach

Dr Medi Volpe