Healing through Faith and Community: A Study resource for Christian Faith Communities to Promote Personal and Social Well-Being
Edited by Edward R Canda, Aaron Ketchell, Phillip Dybicz, Loretta Pyles & Holly Nelson-Becker
The Haworth Pastoral Press 2006, 209pp, pbk, no price marked.
Is religion good for you? In what ways might a Christian community be a resource for health and healing? Are churches able to promote personal and social well-being? These are some of the questions that this excellent resource addresses. Physical health, mental health and spiritual health are linked to social justice and action. The reader is encouraged to relate faith to practice through prayer, scripture, guided discussions, sharing of storied, dialogue and interactive learning activities. The educational process undergirding this book is as important as the theological content. The Editors provide a comprehensive guide to how the book might be used.
There are eight sessions covering the following areas: a holistic Christian vision of health; faith and physical health; faith and mental health; faith and spiritual health; faith and the well-being of the Church community; faith and the well-being of society; faith and global well-being.
The result is an integrated, stimulating and insightful volume. We need more resources to help us relate values to the world of health and social care. Any congregation who seeks to deepen their understanding of the practice of theology and their engagement with the outside world would be well resourced and supported by this volume. It is a model of good practice.
James Woodward