This book is described as 'a medical and theological commentary' on the subject of health and healing. As its author is a graduate in medicine and divinity of the University of Edinburgh he is well placed to tackle such a complex subject. He sets out the dilemmas in his introduction where he seeks to compare and contrast popular and professional understandings of the words 'health' and 'healing'. He under-lines the fact that the term 'healing' has a chequered history and today is still virtually disowned both by medicine and theology, identified with charlatanism and quackery. Consequently he sets out to demonstrate that 'healing' is an acceptable description for modern professional health care as well as a biblical perspective of what God wills for mankind in general.

Wilkinson states that 'healing' in its ordinary sense means the restoration to normality of deranged physical functions and in the biblical perspective, the enabling of man to function as a whole in accordance with God's will for him. Following on from this he examines the scriptures to gain a wider understanding of what the Bible teaches about the words 'health' and 'healing' and seeks to understand the diseases and healings in the Bible in the light of modern medicine. What he achieves is to build a bridge of respect between medicine and healing whilst at the same time drawing boundaries between the disciplines of profess-ional care and the Christian healing ministry, both of which are to serve the common aim of restoring the individual to wholeness and healthiness of life.

Where he is weakest is in the final chapter on the practice of the healing ministry today. This could well be expanded to include material on the need for a balanced style of ministry and some teaching on the subject of people who are not healed.

Reviewed by
Russ Parker
(Director, Acorn Christian Healing Trust)