Varieties of Healing: A Catholic Perspective

This article contributes to Catholic-Pentecostal ecumenical dialogue by offering a particular Catholic perspective on the shared Christian belief in Christ is the Healer. More specifically, it distinguishes several ways in which humans are called to participate in the healing work of Christ. It considers Catholic approaches to sacramental, charismatic, miraculous, biomedical, psychotherapeutic, social, and ecological healing. It reflects on the historical background, contemporary significance, and interconnections of these diverse areas of healing, while distinguishing such a holistic understanding of healing from the narrower concept of a cure. Acknowledging the problem of unhealed sufferers, it argues against blaming such persons for any alleged lack of faith on their part. It also cautions against false promises of a quick spiritual fix to complex bodily, social, and environmental problems.