Jesus’ Healing and Shalom

Posted on July 23, 2018

Because of the vision and great efforts of Dr Zorodzai Dube, the Department of New Testament and Related Literature was honoured to host a conference with the theme The Reception of Jesus in Mediterranean and Contemporary Societies on 5 and 6 July 2018.

The exciting and challenging nature of what was to come was made evident by the opening paper from Prof Jesse Mugambi of Nairobi University, in which he highlighted the various dimensions of healing. This paper led to some great conversations and inspired many to start a new research project or two. Our representative from the University of Lesotho, Prof Chris Manus, delivered a paper in which he explored the comparison of Jesus’ healing methods with that of Greek healers. We were lucky enough to have Prof Manus deliver another paper, in which he drew parallels between Jesus’ healing methods and those of selected African Pentecostal healers. In the same vein, Dr Dube’s own paper suggested a link between the praise songs given to Isis and Asclepius and the way in which the gospel of Mark presents Jesus as healer.

Two papers looked into the reception of Jesus from a feminist perspective: Prof Loreen Maseno, of Maseno University, reported on ethnographic research she did in the northern parts of Kenya in which she explored how widows’ experiences of illness impact their Christology – specifically their conception of Jesus as healer. Dr Rose Nyirimana, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, compared ideas of Jesus as healer in Mark’s gospel – specifically the healing of the haemorrhaging woman, as recorded in Mark 5:25-34 – with the way in which women in Rwanda perceive Jesus as healer. Papers were also presented by Prof Maria Frahm-Arp (University of Johannesburg), who made a study of healing practices in African Pentecostal churches; and by Dr Elliott Tofa (University of Swaziland), who explored the understanding and practice of exorcism as healing practice in the African context. Dr Hlulani Mdingi (University of South Africa) challenged us to explore the social implications of viewing Jesus as healer.

The most important theoretical and practical take-away from this conference is the suggestion that healing should be understood as embedded in the concepts ‘wholeness’ and ‘restoration’. Theoretically, metaphors such as shalom – a state of existence where biological healing, health, justice, peace and restoration flourish – encapsulate Jesus’ idea of healing. We are thankful for the participation of scholars from across the African continent, we look forward to the publication of this inspiring work, and we anticipate great new research being sparked by the papers and discussions at the conference. Moreover, along with our colleagues, we dream of a continent where the healing of Jesus leads to shalom and restoration.  

- Author

Copyright © University of Pretoria 2024. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 Corona Virus South African Resource Portal

To contact the University during the COVID-19 lockdown, please send an email to [email protected]

FAQ's Email Us Virtual Campus Share Cookie Preferences