An article on The Atlantic magazine’s website is asking the provocative question, “what’s God got to do with drug addiction?” The story features a fairly comprehensive look at the Teen Challenge recovery program, but does little to answer the titular question.
The author, Emily Dufton, pits the Teen Challenge approach (which she characterizes as “personal conversion and individual responsibility [can] defeat drug addiction”) against the philosophy of sociologist Paul Goodman (“Without access to quality education or worthwhile jobs . . . delinquency and bad behavior can be expected.”) The author leaves little doubt to what school of thought she subscribes, referring to Goodman as an “intellectual” and calling his work “persuasive,” while characterizing the Teen Challenge approach as a simplistic: “I can overcome this through taking personal responsibility – with God’s help.” A quick link to a couple sites seeking to “expose” Teen Challenge are presented without comment.
Of course, there is much more that goes into defeating addiction than willpower. Teen Challenge itself offers job training and education courses, and emphasizes the importance of continuing support from mentors and churches. And no one would argue that Teen Challenge – or any other faith-based addiction program – is perfect. Addicts can and do relapse – a reminder that we all struggle with “the old Adam” and the sinful nature within us.
But to deny workings of the divine in the lives of those he loves is to deny the very existence of the God described in the Bible – a God who comes to set prisoners free. If the God Christians confess in their creeds, their hymns, and their sermons exists – a God who sent his Son for our redemption – then it is natural for Christians to see that God is willing and able to work through the Holy Spirit to fight addiction. Even 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous see the importance of acknowledging a “higher power” in recovery. And the many changed lives and restored families that have resulted from Teen Challenge and other faith-based treatment programs are a testament to God’s faithfulness.
In Romans, Paul reminds us we are all slaves – addicts, if you will. Some of us our addicted to sin and our own desires which crowd out God and his Will. Others of us are addicted to righteousness, fully dependent on God’s grace and mercy. Only God has the power to redeem the sinner and set him on the path to righteousness. And while Christians continue to struggle with our sinful nature, we can proclaim that because of Him, we are righteous nonetheless. (Church reformer Martin Luther put it succinctly: simul justus et peccator – simultaneously justified and sinner.) And even as we celebrate our own justification through God’s work on the Cross, the Holy Spirit continues His sanctifying work, completing the good work that God has begun in us through his Son (Phil. 1:6).
So, to answer the question posed by Ms. Dufton, “What’s God Got to Do with Fighting Addiction?” Evreything.