Godsdienst en psychiatrie: reacties op een geval van doodslag in godsdienstwaanzin

Abstract

Religion and psychiatry: responses to a case of manslaughter in religious mania After having touched upon some modalities of the relationship between religion and psychiatry, a paradox is pointed out in a psychiatry segregated by denomination as was the case in the Netherlands: this type of psychiatry was stated to be different because of its religious basis and inclination. However, religion seems to have played no substantial role whatever in its psychiatric-medical practice. Sometimes, this paradox caused problems as is shown in a case of manslaughter in religious (i.e. Calvinistic) mania in Appeltern (The Netherlands) in 1900. The psychiatric involvement, the divergent opinions of theologians and of the press from different denominations are presented. Calvinistic psychiatrists found themselves between the different camps: their Calvinistic leaders questioned implicitly the paradox Calvinistic psychiatry had previously attained and the Roman-Catholic press wanted to blame the Calvinistic religion for the manslaughter. As physicians they wanted to remain loyal to their co-professionals who had claimed non-culpability for the people (and, in fact, for the religion) involved. Defending once more 'the paradox' (and the underlying medical model)', shortly after, even in circles of Calvinistic psychiatrists, questions on religion and mental insanity reemerged, provoked by the case in Appeltern.