"A Biblical Approach to Mental Health," is a 12-week online course that suggests the biblical narratives offers life-affirming principles not found in the Greek myths traditional used a subtext for psychotherapy, the university said.

"The need for a new approach to infusing psychotherapy with biblical teaching is especially important in light of recent horrific events, often involving destructive and violent attempts to find meaning in a deterministic world," Kalman J. Kaplan, associate professor of psychology at UIC, said in a statement.

Kaplan said participants in the class interact through online chat and discussion groups. They compare Greek and biblical narratives of a wide spectrum of issues, including God, nature and the individual, and men and women.