The Body as Healer: A Theological Evaluation

A range of contemporary approaches to healing focus on the idea of “the body as healer.” This paper explores this theme through a biblical-theological lens and assesses its relevance for spiritual formation. Following a discussion of healing modalities which focus on embodiment, I explore five biblical-theological themes relevant to this theme before addressing the relationship between the body’s healing potential and the Spirit’s healing presence. In a final section, I suggest ways in which Christians and churches can appropriate insights on embodied healing for spiritual formation today.