Healing

ANDREI I. HOLODNY

In Orthodox Christian perspective, healing of both specific infirmities as well as the fallen nature of humankind is accomplished through the incarnation, suffering, and res­urrection of Christ. Prior to the Second Coming and the bodily resurrection of the saints, the church, as the Body of Christ (Col. 1.24) cares for the spiritual and phys­ical wellbeing of her members through the holy sacraments and the merciful caring for the sick.

Patristic teaching suggests that Adam was originally created by God not only holy, pas­sionless, and sinless, but also physically with­out blemish or illness. Adam’s sin, therefore, had spiritual as well as physical consequences. Following the fall of humanity, death, cor­ruption, and decay became characteristic not only of Adam, but also of all of his prog­eny. Hence, the purpose of the promised Redeemer was to heal both humanity’s spir­itual nature as well as its physical nature: both the specific ills which affect every person individually as well as what afflicts humanity as a whole, understanding that the former is a consequence of the latter.

In the Old Testament, God’s mercy and the foreshadowing of the coming Redeemer are emphasized by healings and even resur­rections of the dead – for example, the res­urrection of the widow’s son by Elijah (1 Kgs. 17.8–23) and the reviving of the dead child by Elisha (2 Kgs. 4.8–27). God’s promise of the restoration of humanity extends also to the healing of the infirmities of old age – the paradigmatic example of this is the elderly Abraham and Sarah’s conception of a child, Isaac (Gen. 15.1–6; 18.10–15; 21.1–8). The ultimate restoration of humanity, including our physical wellbeing, is foretold by many Old Testament prophets – for example, Isaiah:

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way... Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy... They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Is. 35.3, 5–6, 10)

The physical and spiritual restoration of humankind to health is vividly described in the prophecy of Ezekiel in the valley of the dry bones (Ezek. 37.1–28). Liturgically, the Orthodox Church places the readings of the most important of these Old Testament miracles and prophesies during services of the latter part of the Week of Christ’s Passion. Fifteen Old Testament texts are proclaimed during the divine liturgy on Holy Saturday directly prior to the triumphant singing of “Arise Oh Lord” (during which the dark vestments of Great Lent are exchanged for the white of Easter) and the first reading of the epistle and gospel which is the first to announce the paschal resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6.3–11 and Mt. 38.1–20).

For Orthodox theology, the true healing of our nature, which was distorted as a consequence of Adam’s sin, can only be achieved through Jesus Christ: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6.23). This complete healing of the fallen nature of humankind – that is, the elimina­tion of disease, decay, and death – is in contrast to the examples from the Old Testa­ment, where healings and even resurrections were on an individual, symbolic basis, rather than applying to all of humanity: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1Cor. 15.21–22). The apostle sums up this cosmically all-embracing doctrine:

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.... For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Rom. 5.12,16)

The New Testament (especially in the syn­optic gospels) is replete with examples of Jesus Christ healing the sick: “And people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them” (Mt. 4.23–24; see also Mk. 6.56; Lk. 4.40). All of the gospel accounts of these numer­ous healings possess a deeper allegorical and theological meaning aside from the actual remedying of the physical infirmity itself. Overcoming physical sightlessness is often used as a metaphor for Christ’s overcoming spiritual blindness. For example, the healing of the blind man which actually required two separate actions by Christ is described as analogous to the apostles’ gradually com­ing to understand who Christ truly is (Mk. 8.21–30). The evangelical accounts of Christ performing resurrections demon­strate his complete command over the forces of the universe, including death and decay. This is emphasized especially in the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, where the Lord raises his friend from the grave even though he has been dead for four days and has already begun to decay (Jn. 11.1–46).

In order to understand the taking on by Christ of all of humankind’s sins and iniq­uities and the healing of our nature through his death and resurrection, it is essential to appreciate his true incarnation. Since Christ was both true God and true man, he was able to facilitate the healing and resurrec­tion of the whole race on his own person. Following his resurrection, Christ contin­ued to possess a true, physical, human body. He ate and drank (Jn. 21.13) and the apostles (including Doubting Thomas) were able to touch him (Jn. 20.24–29). However, after the resurrection, the body of Christ was no longer subject to illness or death. The restoration of health in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and during the history of the church is often accom­plished through what can be termed miracles of grace. In the Orthodox under­standing of the order of things, however, sickness and death are an anomaly in the human situation, and it is this which is remarkable and unusual, rather than the return of a person to health. In this sense, therefore, a “miracle” (called in Orthodox tradition a thauma, or sign of wonder) given as a sign of God’s mercy is actually a restoration ofthings to their natural order and a premonition of how life will be after the resurrection from the dead.

The healing of our physical infirmities plays a central role in the sacramental life of the Orthodox Church. The sacrament of the anointing of the sick is usually admin­istered to those who are grievously ill and is wholly dedicated to the purpose of healing the person both spiritually (and especially) physically. All of the other sacraments are dedicated to this same purpose to varying degrees. For example, the Eucharist is administered “for the healing of soul and body,” as is repeated in the prayer recited by the priest before each person’s communion.

Orthodox tradition addresses even the ordinary concerns of Christians, as seen in its prescription for everyday life – fasting is an example of this, and is closely related to bodily issues. Clearly, the main goal of fasting is spiritual. Fasting is supposed to focus one’s attention on eternal and essen­tial concerns and move one away from the mundane; however, by its very nature, fasting has profound physical and health dimensions. It is interesting to note that the fast prescribed by the church is completely in concert with contemporary recommendations by health professionals regarding diets intended to counteract the epidemic of obesity that is manifested in the western world: a general decrease in caloric intake, less meat and more fish, less fatty foods, more fruits and vegetables.

Healing of the infirmed plays a central role in the life of the church today, follow­ing Christ’s example and directive: “They will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mk. 16.18), as well as the parable of the merciful Samaritan (Lk. 10.33–35). Christ’s directive was taken up by the apostles immediately after Pentecost: “Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I have not, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk’” (Acts 3.6). During Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, monaster­ies played a central role in the establish­ment of healthcare facilities (including psychiatric ones) in Orthodox countries. These efforts were suppressed to a large degree by loss of political independence in the Balkans and Greece and by the secularizing reforms of Peter the Great in Russia. Even so, the tradition of the healing of the sick was continued by many Orthodox saints who were also physicians, for example the Evangelist Luke, Sts. Cosmas and Damian, and the martyr Panteleimon, and several others known as the “Holy Unmercenaries.”

Orthodox theology avers that both the immaterial and material parts of the human person have to strive for salvation and that we will be resurrected not only spiritually but also in the body. Salvation of the entire per­son is emphasized by the entire tradition of Orthodox asceticism, especially among the hesychasts with their strong emphasis on how the body needs to participate in prayer. Notwithstanding the promise of eternal life, Orthodox Christians are often faced with the problem and meaning of suffering in their present lives. Orthodox Christians tormented either by life’s circumstances, or by oppressors, are reminded that Christ himself suffered on the cross, and given the example of the myriad of martyrs. An excellent compilation of the thoughts of the ancient fathers, for the guidance of the Orthodox of his time, was compiled by Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. This book served as a spiritual guide to the martyrs of the imperial family during the Russian Revolution.

Orthodox theology avers that the saints will be resurrected bodily following the example of Christ. Like his own glorious body, the bodies of the saints will also no longer be subject to the forces of decay: “The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1Cor. 15.52–3). A similar promise of complete healing is given in the Book of Revelation, as accom­plished after the Second Coming:

Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourn­ing or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21.3–5)

The healing power of Christ continually abides in his church throughout its earthly pilgrimage, as a consolation and foretaste of his mercy. It will be the final glory of all his saints at the end.

SEE ALSO: Anointing of the Sick; Charity; Death (and Funeral); Deification; Fasting; Gospel; Incarnation (of the Logos); Old Testament; Original Sin; Paradise; Resurrec­tion; St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807–1867)

REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS

Athanasius, St. (2002) On the Incarnation.

Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Brianchaninov, I. (1986) O terpenii skorbei po ucheniu sviatikh otsev. Montreal: Job of Pochaev Brotherhood Press.

Horden, P. (2008) Hospitals and Healing from Antiquity to the Later Middle Ages. Aldershot: Ashgate Press.

Larchet, J.-C. (2002) The Theology of Illness.

Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Philaret, Metropolitan of Minsk (ed.) (2002) Materials of the Theological Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church: “The Teachings of the Church on Man.” Moscow: Synodal Theological Commission.

Symeon the New Theologian, St. (1994) The First Created Man, trans. S. Rose. Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood Press.