Good Is the Flesh: Body, Soul, and Christian Faith

For Jesus of Nazareth, whose ministry reached out to the sick and the sick at heart, the human body was something to be honored and valued. But two thousand years of Christian history have told a different tale, as believers often looked on the body with distaste, feeling it impeded the soul's progress toward union with God.

Today, though, theologians, health professionals, and ordinary people in the pews are taking a fresh look at the importance of the body in drawing the human person to God. Christians, going back to their roots in the ancient work of the Church, are listening to the gospel call to wholeness and applying it in a variety of ways, from caring for the needs of the elderly to helping HIV patients.

Good Is the Flesh brings together essays written by important contemporary thinkers in this field, examining themes from "The Theological Roots of Health" to "Christian Spirituality and Illness." Contributors include theologians James B. Nelson and Elizabeth Moltmann-Wendel. Each section contains questions for reflection and study, making this an ideal book for parish study groups, parish ministry committees, and professional development programs for health ministry professionals.