Christ in the Abyss: Cultivating Deep Faith Amid Depression and Despair

A Hopeful, Honest Invitation into a Faith That Endures in the Depths.

For those navigating the stormy waters of depression, despair, or mental illness, Christ in the Abyss offers a rare kind of spiritual companionship. In this raw and redemptive book, Jean Neely shares her decades-long journey with mental health challenges and faith, testifying that Christ's presence isn't reserved for the healed--but is found in the very heart of our pain. With poetic clarity and unflinching honesty, Neely challenges triumphalist Christian narratives and stigma in the church and offers a vision of grace and hope that holds, even when nothing is resolved. In these pages, you'll find:

• An alternative to "healing-only" faith narratives that makes room for those whose emotional suffering remains unresolved, affirming that deep faith is possible even in prolonged struggle.
• A weaving together of story, Scripture, and cultural critique that expands our imagination for what faith can look like.
• Reflection questions for readers craving depth over resolution.

Christ in the Abyss is a book for anyone who has cried out into the void and wondered if anyone, especially God, is listening. The good news is that God is always present with us, even in the depths.

Jean Lee Neely is a Korean American writer and a writing instructor at Azusa Pacific University. She has degrees in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Irvine and the Sorbonne University in Paris, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Southern California. Jean writes regularly on issues of mental health and faith for Faith & Leadership, a resource from the Duke Divinity School for Christian leaders. She has also written for Sojourners, Inheritance Magazine, the Asian American Christian Collaborative, and Christians for Social Action.She has been active in InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty ministry for many years and has taught seminars on navigating intersections of faith, spiritual formation, and mental health at faculty retreats and other ministry settings. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.