Diane Rehm: "Adam Lanza's Mother." What Of Christendom's Emphasis On Will?

Liza Long's son, Michael.

Liza Long

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Alan: Medieval Christianity - in whose shadow we still live - held that individuals were completely responsible for their actions and that the promotion of virtue and the suppression of vice depended totally on the application of will power (or the perverse refusal to do so). The one exception to "The Rule of Will" was demonic possession, although even in these cases, it was widely supposed that the person had become possessed by failing to exercise sufficient will power. 

In the light of science, we now know better.

What does this mean for Christian morality and the ongoing re-formulation of Christian theology?

The Price of Silence: A Mom's Perspective On Mental Illness

GUEST HOST:

 

TOM GJELTEN

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Audio File: http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-09-04/liza-long-price-silence-moms-perspective-mental-illness

Lisa Long's Son

When Liza Long heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School two years ago, her first thought was: What if my son does that someday? Her 13-year-old son had just been hospitalized in a mental facility for violent behavior. Two days after Adam Lanza killed his mother, 20 children, six teachers, and then himself, Long posted an emotional response on her blog titled: “I am Adam Lanza’s mother.” Her article went viral. Her essay became a rallying cry for better access to treatment for mentally-ill children. Guest host Tom Gjelten talks with Liza Long about her new book on raising a son with a mental illness.

Guests

Liza Long 

author and mental health advocate

Related Links

"I am Adam Lanza's mother," by Liza Long (December 16, 2012)

Related Items

The Price of Silence: A Mom's Perspective on Mental Illness

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Reprinted by arrangement with Hudson Street Press, a member of Penguin Random House (USA) Inc., from The Price of Silence by Liza Long. Copyright © 2014 by Liza Long.

The Price of Silence