St John’s Extension Studies, 2003 - major revision 2010
The 20th century saw a remarkable recovery of the Church’s ministry of healing. It is only as you read the history books that you realize how much this ministry had been neglected, and for how long. Apart from healings associated with great saints, the Church had no involvement in healing ministry for over 800 years. The Church had lost confidence in God’s willingness to heal.
Today many Anglican churches in the UK offer some opportunity for prayer for healing. Christian organizations which promote healing now find a ready response to their programmes. Christian people have discovered a new sense of faith in God’s power to heal. Healing in now an important element in the Christian agenda.
It is also high on society’s agenda. Health is a big political issue. People want a well resourced Health Service, and we spend large amounts of money on health products and fitness programmes. With alternative therapies has come an increasing awareness of the spiritual side to health. Hospital chaplains are often assisted by volunteer visitors. Christian involvement in the public health programmes of Britain is at an all time high.
Both in the Church and in our health services, Christians are drawing alongside those who are ill and encouraging them to look to God for their ‘wholeness’. But both these kinds of Christian involvement in health and healing require better training. And they need training that brings them together rather than keeps them apart.
Sadly, the Church setting is often negative about medication and prefers to look to God to intervene in miraculous ways. The health care setting is often critical of the Church for raising unrealistic hopes, and encourages people to look to God for support during the long road towards better health. But there is truth in both these perspectives. If Christians are to be faithful to their calling, they need to understand the two sides of the issue.
This is what this workbook is designed to do. It forms the basis of training courses for both the Church and the health care setting. And it promotes an understanding of Christian healing that makes sense of our experience today, both in the Church and in Christian involvement in modern health care.
