Bøger af Ian Osborn

"So great and so much like hell that no tongue could adequately express them."That is how Martin Luther described the terrifying religious fears he suffered as a young man.Up to now, no one has correctly diagnosed them. Dr. Osborn demonstrates that Luther's tormenting thoughts represented an unmistakable case of clinical obsessive-compulsive disorder. Remarkably, Luther overcame his fears through employing a form of modern "exposure and response prevention therapy," recognized today as the treatment of choice for OCD. Dr. Osborn makes clear that it was precisely through experiencing and curing his fears that Luther learned the truth about righteousness and faith. Without the benefit of his obsessional fears, one could argue, the Great Reformer would never have pursued the Reformation at all.This book is essential reading for OCD sufferers, Martin Luther fans, historians, and students of religion and psychology alike.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relentless condition, the primary symptom being the occurrence of terrifying ideas, images, and urges that jump into a person's mind and return again and again, despite the individual's attempt to remove them. Christians who suffer from OCD may grapple with additional guilt, as the undesired thoughts are frequently of a spiritual nature. Yet people may be surprised to learn that some of the greatest leaders in Christian history also struggled with this malady. What did they experience? How did they cope? Were they able to overcome these tormenting, often violent, obsessions? Where did God fit into the picture?Ian Osborn shares the personal accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, as well as his own story, in exploring how faith and science work together to address this complex issue.