ANTON T. BOISEN (10/29/1876-10/1/1965) Anton Boisen graduated from Union Theological Seminary and served as a Presbyterian minister.

He experienced six psychotic breaks and three of these required hospitalization. His diagnosis: schizophrenic reaction, catatonic type. In The Exploration of the Inner World, Boisen stated that his trouble resulted from precocious sexual sensitivity (p.4). Due to these experiences, he sought to understand their religious dynamics. Boisen worked as a chaplain at Worcester State Hospital and Elgin State Hospital. He earned another masters degree at Harvard and lectured two years at the Boston University School of Theology and 15 years at Chicago Theological Seminary. Biosen is the chief founder of Clinical Pastoral Education. He sought to lead students toward a deeper degree of theological insight by viewing the mental hospital patients as Living Human Documents. This term was coined by Boisen and is used today in CPE programs as we are continually reminded to read the human document. Patients are our teachers as they illumine the nature of religious experience (D. C.P., p. 104). Edward Thornton, in Professional Education For Ministry, gave four observations about Boisen in relation to C.P.E.: 1. Boisens efforts in the beginning of C.P.E. were instrumental but not intentional. He did not intend to help others to become better ministers, Boisen wanted to study the psychology of religious experience. Yet the momentum which he brought to this movement would cause it to develop independent of him. 2. Boisen, after 1930, was minimally involved in the organization of C.P.E. One his students, Philip Guiles, became highly involved with the newly founded, Council for the Clinical Training of Theological Students. In 1945, Boisen was given a new assignment rather than supervising students. He would remain on the periphery until his death. 3. Boisen has significance in the dynamics of C.P.E. and its identity as a profession. He sought to link traditional Christianity with empirical theology. The hospital and the seminary became training grounds for ministers. 4. Boisen was described as a goad and a lure in the history of C.P.E. He lured us to see psychosis as one road to health. He goads us to examine unusual experiences and the philosophical understandings of the psychiatric community (Thornton, p. 70). Their value systems need examination, too. The thesis of The Exploration of the Inner World: successful resolution of inner conflict is similar to religious conversion. Unsuccessful resolution is known as mental illness. Put in other words, emotional collapse was a chaotic encounter with God that could lead either to a new integration of personality or a fall into total inner disarray (D.C.P. p. 514.) Boisen sought to affirm the creative possibilities of conflict and suffering(Thornton, p. 67). He preferred to view them as spiritual defeat or victory as opposed to sickness vs. health. Mental illness, also, was viewed as the inability to grow into higher social loyalties, as well as the effort to overcome the failure (D.C.P., p. 105). Boisen took his emotional death and was resurrected to serve. What could have been a liability functioned as the wings with which he arose from the fire. Researched by Greg Thompson, M.Div.