Christ the Healer in All Cultures

A talk given at the Acorn Healing Trust conference in September 2024

Christianity is migratory in nature. It has been that way since its very early days and it remains the same today. Initially, Christianity spread along the trade routes of the Roman Empire, using the Greek language that was spoken in most of its cities. It does the same today, following the migration trends of our global economy, which of course includes the selling of higher education, and the push and pull factors of labour export and import.

Christians are over-represented among the world’s migrants – although 30% of the world’s population is thought to be Christian, 47% of all those who live outside their country of birth are Christian[1]. It is for this reason, that cities like Leicester which are now more than 50% Global Majority Heritage (GMH), contain not just many Muslims and Hindus but also many Christians whose roots lie in different countries and different cultures.

Leicester has not been alone in welcoming many Christian students, workers, asylum seekers and other migrants. Parts of London, Birmingham and Yorkshire are similar. And, while demographic trends are difficult to predict, it is highly likely that every city in the country will grow in diversity – Leicester is simply ahead of the trend!

Did you know that more than 50% of doctors working in the NHS are now from other parts of the world[2]? They have migrated here because of the shortage of British doctors. And again, that trend is set to increase – my son who is currently studying medicine at Newcastle University has a Malaysian girlfriend who is also studying medicine, but at the Newcastle University campus in Malaysia. She has already told us, that when she graduates, she intends to come and work in the UK.

So, for Christians in the UK, I want to suggest that these statistics about migration are both a source of great hope and great challenge. Hope – because the church in many other parts of the world is vibrant in a way that many of us have never experienced. Christians migrating to this country often bring a passion for evangelism, a dependence on the Holy Spirit and a willingness to intercede in prayer. Indeed I would go so far as to say, that the future of the Church of England and other historical denominations depends on whether we are ready and willing to accept the gift of Christians from other parts of the world.

And yet, this also brings challenges because of our different cultures. Without wanting to be too political – the challenge works both ways. Yes, we need newcomers to integrate into society here – to speak good English and understand our history and values. But that doesn’t mean that they shed their own culture. There is a well-documented phenomenon known as hybridisation[3] – the mixing of cultures which is taking place all the time. So, we also need to recognise that those of us who have been shaped by English culture (however we may define that), will need to adapt and learn from those of different cultures. There is an exchange of gifts which takes place when people of different cultures meet – something which I explore in detail in my book An Intercultural Church for a Multicultural World, published earlier this year.

All this is particularly relevant to the ministry of healing. Let me give you some examples:

A 45-year-old Hispanic immigrant, Mr. G., undergoes a work health assessment and is told that his blood pressure is very high. He goes to the GP and is given a prescription for a Beta-blocker and a diuretic. The doctor prescribes two medications known to be effective and simple for adherence because they each are supposed to be taken once a day. However, Mr. G. presents to A&E one week later with dizziness. His blood pressure is very low, and Mr. G. says he has been taking the medicine just like it says to take it on the bottle. The puzzling case is discussed by multiple doctors until one who speaks Spanish asks Mr. G. how many pills he took each day. “22,” Mr. G. replies. The Spanish speaker explains to his colleagues that “once” (on-ce) means “11” in Spanish.

Another example: some years ago, researchers in America were puzzled by the fact that their anti-smoking public health work, while having some positive results among Caucasians, was having very limited impact among Latinos. Their work focused primarily on the harm to the individual – lung cancer and so on. So, they changed tack and focused instead on the effects of smoking on family and interpersonal relationships. Appealing to a person’s sense of duty to their children and their extended family network, proved far more effective than simply saying the risks are high for you. One of the most significant differences between cultures in different parts of the world is the individual v collective worldview. In the West, we think first and foremost of ourselves as individuals, in many other cultures, people think of their place in their family or community before thinking about their individuality.

And a third example – my wife worked as a medic in West Africa, running a rural clinic and training health care workers. She was puzzled that a particular patient came back to see her regularly, always complaining of the same symptoms which made little sense to my wife’s Western-formed medical brain. On one occasion, her translator took over the conversation, and to my wife’s consternation, conducted a lengthy conversation with the patient without translating any of it. At the end, she simply said, “This woman is having problems with her family, I think we should pray for her.” My wife agreed, and so they prayed together. The woman never returned to the clinic. Her symptoms were caused by broken relationships rather than any physical ailment.

Three simple examples of how culture affects our understanding of health and healing.

Yet as Christians, I am sure that we would want to affirm that Christ the healer is at work in all cultures and among all peoples, nations and languages just as he was in Palestine 2000 years ago. The healing miracles recorded in the Gospels were signs of God’s kingdom breaking in. And as the gospel spread, as recorded in Acts, so we find the first disciples also exercising this same ministry of healing, bringing wholeness or Shalom to the people to whom they were sent.

Yet I want to suggest that there are ‘constants’ in the Christian healing ministry and there are ‘variables’ according to the culture in which this healing ministry is exercised and experienced[4]. Indeed I want to suggest 4 constants.

The first is of course that it is Jesus Christ who heals. Acts 14 recounts the healing of a disabled man in Lystra – the crowds are so amazed that they think Paul and Barnabas must be gods and they are ready to start worshipping them. But the apostles tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd shouting, “we are mortals just like you… and we bring you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God who made the heaven and the Earth and the sea and all that is in them.” Their desire always was to point people to the living God and his son Jesus Christ.

The second constant of the Christian healing ministry is to do with community – and in particular the church. In the culture of first-century Palestine, to be healed or made whole was to be restored to community. When Jesus healed the leper (recorded in Matthew 8), he told him to go and show himself to the priest and offer the proscribed gift – an indication that this man who had been excluded fromthe community was now to be drawn back into the life and worship of the community. In Acts, the healings are often accompanied by an invitation to join the church – the new community of God. This is the appropriate place to express thanksgiving to God and to flourish as a new believer.

Thirdly, healing is a sign of God’s kingdom breaking in – a sign of God’s desire that all of creation should be healed, a sign of the end times. So Jesus has authority over the wind and the waves, just as he has authority over demons and disease. Yet we do not yet see this in all its fullness – illness is very much still with us – and indeed, “all creation groans in eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Romans 8:19). But now we have a glimpse of what is to come – each healing a sign of that complete healing which will come when Christ returns.

Fourthly, healing is linked to salvation. In part, this is to do with forgiveness for sin – though we know that the relationship between sin and illness is complex – on occasion Jesus does seem to suggest a direct link, as when he said to the paralysed man “Your sins are forgiven” and the man immediately got up, rolled up his mat and carried it home. But at other times, Jesus is quick to tell his disciples that they shouldn’t make a direct link between sin and illness. So it’s complex and we must be sensitive. But salvation is about a right relationship with God – and it is in God’s presence that we are made whole – we become the people God wants us to be.

So these four are constant – Jesus Christ the healer, being restored to the true community in the church, experiencing the breaking-in of God’s kingdom, itself a sign of what is to come – the complete healing of all creation when Christ comes again, and this is connected to salvation – being in God’s presence such that His image and likeness is fully restored in us.

But now we turn to the variables – the cultural differences which mark out the different peoples of the earth. Sometimes these differences are seen in a very negative way – I’ve heard many people interpreting the story of the Tower of Babel as God dividing humanity, scattering the people and stopping them working well together – this is language and culture as a source of division. But I believe that’s a misinterpretation of the story – personally, I think the story is about colonialism – the colonial power of Babylon trying to force people to work together to build this impressive power – and God looks down from heaven and confounds their attempts, scattering the nations who have been colonised. The different cultures already exist, and any attempt to force people to assimilate to one culture and abandon their own is a form of colonialism

So culture for me is mixed – it can be good, enabling us to grow in the virtues of love, kindness, hope and so on. But it can also be bad, trapping us in a world where we only ever mix with people who are like me, who share my worldview, and creating an us-them dynamic. Culture is constantly changing, and evolving – it is fluid not static – in part because of hybridisation, in part because of other changes in society e.g. technology affects language and our way of relating to one another. There’s a lot more I could say on this – I refer you again to my book – but let’s turn to the practical implications of working with different cultures when we are seeking to exercise a ministry of healing.

And the first thing to say is that working with people of different cultures requires humility, curiosity and a willingness to listen and learn. All of us start from a position of assuming that our culture is best. This is the worldview and the way of doing things that we grew up with, and it’s natural to assume that it is the only way or the best way. So if any of you have ever been to India, you will know that in the big cities of India, they have a very different approach to driving on the roads. Essentially, there are very few rules, other than big lorries always have right of way, and alongside the steering wheel, brake and accelerator, the horn is the next most important part of the car. To us, it is chaotic and noisy – and yet it works. It is just very different from our roads which are governed by the 307 regulations contained in the Highway Code.

So humility is important – just because it is what I am familiar with, doesn’t mean it is best. And this goes along with curiosity – being willing to learn about another culture. Again, if you have travelled as a tourist, you will know how much it means to people if you can speak even just a few words of their language. And understanding the cultural taboos – in parts of North Africa it is very rude to show the soles of your feet to another person – it is seen as a gesture of disrespect – something it is important to know if you don’t want to offend people. So be curious, be sensitive, listen and learn.

The influence of culture on health is vast.  It affects perceptions of health, illness and death, beliefs about causes of disease, approaches to health promotion, how illness and pain are experienced and expressed, where, when and how patients seek help, and the types of treatment patients prefer. 

Both health professionals and patients (ministers and those they serve) are influenced by their respective cultures.  Cultural bias may result in very different health-related preferences and perceptions. Being aware of and negotiating such differences is what is known as ‘cultural competence’ and increasingly, this needs to be core to ministry training. There are many models of this, but I describe it as part of a continuum:

Continuum of Cultural Competency[5]

• Cultural destructiveness - forced assimilation and subjugation.
• Cultural incompetence - racism, stereotypes, unfair recruitment practices
• Cultural blindness - differences ignored, ‘treat everyone the same’, preserve status quo
• Cultural pre-competence - awareness of issues and imbalances, unsure of how to interact
• Cultural competence - explore cultural differences and gift exchange in conversation
• Cultural proficiency - implement changes, confident to interact, give and receive.

So let me start to draw to a close by returning to Jesus’ own healing ministry. In Mark 10, we find Jesus encountering a blind man and asking him, “What is it that you want me to do?” I’ve always been intrigued by that question, and it is one which I believe is central to cultural competency. For it is impossible for me to ever fully understand the culture of another person. Maybe after years of living in another culture, I may have a fairly good understanding, but I don’t think it will ever be complete. So when you are praying with someone of a different culture – and remember that doesn’t necessarily mean a person of a different skin colour – my own children have quite a different culture to me – they speak a different language, dress in a different way and view the world in a different way – but when we are praying with someone of a different culture, starting with some form of the question ‘what do you want Jesus to do for you?’ is a good place.

Their understanding of health and healing may not be the same as yours. What you think is obvious, may be a complete mystery to them. But we can still be bold – Christ is the healer, and his love and grace can be expressed in every culture. So I encourage you to go on in your ministry of prayer and support and to learn cultural competence such that we can minister Christ’s healing in the glorious mix of cultures now present in this land.

+Martyn Leicester

Questions

• Jesus asked the blind man, “What do you want me to do?” – how do we ensure we are person-centred in our ministry?
• What does it mean to have cultural humility?
• How can we grow in cultural competency?