Church Fathers and the Concept of Healing

Church Fathers and the Concept of Healing

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Tertullian
Tertullian was a prolific early Christian author and he produced extensive work on Christianity most concerning Latin Christian literature. Tertullian was also a polemicist against heresy and a notable early Christian apologist. He ha soften ben referred to as the father of Latin Christianity and despite the fact that he was conservative, he was also very instrumental towards the origin and advancement of early church’s new theology. This involved embracing the concept of healing (Daunton-Fear, 2009).
Tertullian’s contribution towards assertion on the power of healing is his quote which reiterates that, “See how many men have been delivered from devils and healed of diseases!” (Esler, 2004 p. 87), which was critical in shaping the attitudes of the early church Christians toward suffering or health and he delved into the role of miracles in the healings and restoration of health. The preceding quote by Tertullian mainly emphasize on the power of healing which delivers people from their diseases. However, it seems not consider spiritual healing and it concentrates more on the bodily healing necessary for physical well-being. This particular quote reiterates on the significant number of people delivered from demonic possession and physical diseases.
The above quote by Tertullian should make us to believe that even the people in religious or governmental rank have been touched by the power of God in miraculous healing. Perhaps Tertullian informs the Christians to notice this fact of healing, as evidence of the truth claims and it’s relevance to day-to-day lives of the people (Esler, 2004). Furthermore, Tertullian states that it is necessary for Christians to perform healing activities and reiterates that it’s the ministry of the Holy Spirit, through the servant of God in the name of Jesus Christ that makes healing a possibility (Pelikan, 1975). He further notes that no woman or man can heal; only God can, and this occurs in the presence as well as power of the Holy Spirit through women and men of God today (MacMullen, 1986).
Origen
Origen of Alexandia lived in the second century when the region was a vibrant for Christian civilization. He was a devoted and committed servant of God and he was ordained a priest. He refused to blaspheme God by offering sacrifice to the emperor during the persecution of Decius, an act which led to his imprisonment and subjection to extremely cruel torture. Though he survived the torture he died just a few years later (MacMullen, 1986). Origen was an excellent Biblical scholar and extensively wrote on Christian teaching and spirituality (Pelikan, 1975).
Throughout his work and preaching Origen was a strong believer of the concept of healing and among the famous quote of Origen about healing was that, “Stronger than all the evils in the soul is the Wor...