Help for Heroes: PTSD, Warrior Recovery, and the Liturgy.

ABSTRACT

The incidence of PTSD is on a steady rise in combative countries around the world, and civilian churches are increasingly like to encounter persons suffering from PTSD. This article will consider the ancient rituals for the purification of warriors after battle to demonstrate the responsibility of the church toward returning warriors and explore how the liturgy can function as a place for recovery. I will demonstrate how the sacraments of Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and the Anointing of the Sick function as sites of re-integration into the world the warriors have fought for, recovery from trauma, and purification after battle.