In what ways are followers of Jesus demonstrating God's loving character through caring for the sick, preventing disease, and even attempting to eradicate some diseases?
Photo credit: Sanofi Pasteur - Flickr
by Ralph D. Winter
We have greater opportunities and greater obligations than ever in history. Yet the chasm between our unemployed resources and an effective challenge to big world problems is very great. It is apparent that organized believers are largely missing in the conduct of the Kingdom of God, in bringing His will into the dark and suffering places in our world.
Read Moreby Ralph D. Winter
There are two significant barriers to Christian belief: the rampant suffering, violence, and evil in this world as if there is no Satan behind it, and a Bible that is thought to have feet of clay, beginning with Genesis 1. Both of these obstacles to belief can be dealt with in an unusual way: a brief scenario that attempts conjecturally to interpret Genesis 1 in such a way as not to conflict with the latest scientific views. Most of all, it highlights a strikingly new dimension in the definition of Christian mission.
Read Moreby Dan Poenaru, M.D.
“I have a dream…” The iconic words, spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 resonate in the ears of all those who, like me, would like to see true transformational development be born and flourish through the church of Jesus Christ in global communities bound by poverty, sickness, injustice, and apathy. This is the dream which has led me to a more than decade-long health care career in Africa, and the dream which made me join, in 2000, BethanyKids, a small faith-based organization whose motto is “healing children in Africa, transforming lives.”
Read Moreby Ralph D. Winter and Greg Boyd
What if all disease pathogens as well as all violent forms of life are the work of Satan? What would Jesus have said about fighting germs in the name of Christ had the people of his time know about germs? How would that amplify and refocus our global mission? Christ has called us to be salt and light in a world of evil, corruption, and disease. We have a mandate to restore the glory of God among all peoples by more adequately representing His character. We misrepresent him if we talk only about getting to heaven. We must also reveal by our actions his concern for the conquest of evil and evil disease.
Read Moreby Richard Gunasekera
Phytochemicals play a decisive role in breast and prostate carcinogenesis by influencing their biological processes such as cell-cycle control, programmed cell death (apoptosis), inflammation, and DNA repair. Their pathogenesis includes the effects of environmental factors such as diet that may trigger the initiating of cancer in those who are predisposed genetically and epigenetically. Dietary phytochemicals can act as blocking agents by obstructing the initiation phase of carcinogenesis or they can act as suppressing agents by hindering the promotion and progression phases of carcinogenesis. My team has designed a food pyramid based on phytochemical bioactive molecules (PBAM) that will provide consumers, survivors, and cancer patients with information on bioactive foods that contain PBAM for cancer prevention.
Read Moreby Brian Lowther
The Roberta Winter Institute is dedicated to investigating and discussing evidence of an intelligent evil having a destructive influence on God’s good creation and the implications that notion would have on disease eradication efforts. Disease is a major cause of underdevelopment in many countries around the world, and so this discussion is extremely pertinent to the WCIDJ.
Read Moreby Beth Snodderly
God is not the author of disease and suffering although he certainly uses it to bring about good things in this fallen world where humans and angels make free choices that result in the evil and suffering.
Read MoreA Conversation between Mike Soderling, M.D., and Rebecca Lewis, Strategist
The whole point of getting to the root causes of disease is to prevent them from happening at all, like scurvy or death in childbirth due to unwashed hands of doctors. Most of these insights have not come from the mainstream in any generation, unfortunately.
However, we need to be very careful about what we become convinced is the truth of a subject of interest to us. What we buy into must be proven and valid, not anecdotal.
Read Moreby Richard Gunasekera, PhD
A biochemical geneticist gives a short introduction to help clarify the types of genetics involved in research into the origins (and potential cures) of disease. He writes: “When we consider genetics there are at least 2 to 3 major different types that geneticist usually refer to in genetic disease, including studying the origins of autism.
Read MoreResources compiled by Timothy Skinner
Read MoreResources compiled by Timothy Skinner
Read Moreby Beth Snodderly
“What are viruses? Where do viruses come from?”
“In what ways do you think viruses could be a result of the Fall?”
“In what ways can Christians participate in redemptive work involving viruses?”
Ebola and AIDS are two deadly scourges that have killed thousands. There is good news and bad news about these pandemics.
Read MoreResources compiled by Timothy Skinner
Read MoreResources compiled by Timothy Skinner
Read Moreby Beth Snodderly
Spoiler Alert: The answer is “both.” In this Reflection I compare comments by Ralph Winter in his article, “The Story of Our Planet,” with comments by philanthropist Bill Gates and psychologist Steven Pinker.
Read Moreby Rebecca Lewis
In discussing the theology of disease, there are several ways this topic can be approached. I will touch on two aspects: what we believe about God’s design of nature in relationship to disease, and what we believe we should do about disease as a result.
Read MoreReviews by Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis summarizes the main thesis and gives a short author bio for each book reviewed in this article.
Read Moreby Beth Snodderly
Paul Pierson’s answer to this question gives a good description of shalom: grace, health, education, safety, well-being for all people.
These qualities flow from being in right relationship with God, as seen in Jeremiah’s prophecy that tied the concept of “prosperity” (Hebrew: shalom) to God’s forgiveness for the peoples’ “… sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it” (Jer. 33:8, 9).
From this passage, it is clear that shalom is a quality that is observable.…
Read Moreby Beth Snodderly
Recently I read a Florida State University dissertation, “Shalom and its relationship to health/healing in the Hebrew Scriptures.”* A society that is healthy and experiencing shalom, is one that is in right relationship with God’s cosmic order. In a sick society, the righteous suffer at the hands of deceitful and untruthful people. That sounds familiar. Bribery is a way of life in much of the under-developed world. This dissertation gives a biblical explanation for that under-development.
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