Overview of the Project

Below you will find the slides from my Public Presentation.  These give an overview of the project and my paper.  This is the "cliff notes" version.  I hope that you will read along though as I post more in the coming weeks. 

Called to Love: Theological Foundations

Wherever Jesus went in his earthly ministry, people reached out to touch him, believing that just grasping the hem of his garment would bring them healing. This sense that Jesus cared about physical bodies as well as souls permeated his earthly ministry. Perhaps persons of that time had a stronger sense of the holistic nature and the cohesiveness of life.

Do we no longer believe that God cares for our whole selves—body, mind and spirit? 

Does God care for all dimensions of our health?

            Jesus is God incarnate. God became enfleshed in humanity’s form. The God who becomes incarnate surely has a concern for the physical human body in all its dimensions.

The ministry of Jesus included the restoration of physical health as well as the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ own bodily resurrection points to a God who is concerned for the physical well-being of humans. Yet, we often approach the scriptures with the sense that they are for our salvation beyond this world and not with a concern for how we develop and treat our bodies, minds and souls in this world.

            Scripture would tell us otherwise;

·         Mark shows us Jesus’ concern for restoring wholeness to persons.

·         John reminds us that Jesus came to bring us abundant life.

·         Paul writes about believers offering their bodies as a living sacrifice as well as the human body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

·         Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

All of these point us toward the concern which God has for our whole selves: body, mind and spirit. The injunction from Paul to “glorify God with our bodies” leads us to take seriously caring for ourselves as beloved creatures of God.