Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy an anti-depressant treatment?

As someone who, in the past, has dealt with people suffering depression and wanting to maintain their relationship with God (not easy in depression) I'm interested when there seems to be something that can positively link spiritual practice and dealing with depression. Here's the report
Depression Treatment: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy As Effective As Anti-depressant Medication, Study Suggests and here's the guts of what it says: "a group-based psychological treatment, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), could be a viable alternative to prescription drugs for people suffering from long-term depression."
It's no miracle cure but it does seem to be statistically worthwhile: "Over the 15 months after the trial, 47% of the group following the MBCT course experienced a relapse compared with 60% of those continuing their normal treatment, including anti-depressant drugs"
By now you may be wondering just what it is that is being taught, well ...
"During the eight-week trial, groups of between eight and fifteen people met with one therapist. They learned a range of meditation exercises that they could continue to practice on their own once the course ended. Many of the exercises were based on Buddhist meditation techniques and helped the individual take time to focus on the present, rather than dwelling on past events, or planning for future tasks. The exercises worked in a different way for each person, but many reported greater acceptance of, and more control over, negative thoughts and feelings."
While it is stated that it has a strong connection with Buddhist traditions, it should be said that Christian traditions are not without techniques that achieve the same sort of ends: some contemplative ways are very much about being in the moment and it is arguable that the whole 'take no thought' thing in the gospels encourages finding ways for us to be learning to be present to the present, so to speak.
Since there is, it seems to me, a cognitive element to much depression, based in events and our interpretation of them, then learning how to bypass or downplay certain kinds of cognitive habits must surely have important effects on us. It may be that this is related to reasons why 'religious' people seem to score significantly better in health and well-being indices.
Of course we should beware of the obliquity factor here; and the danger of appropriating spiritual traditions for their obique /secondary ends. It might be better, in view of the research, to encourage people to learn mindfulness for their health and then help them to apply it as spiritual practice.