Original Research - Special Collection: A.G.van Aarde Festschrift

Finding a place for Jesus as healer in Reformed mission in Africa

Ignatius W.C. van Wyk
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 67, No 1 | a864 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v67i1.864 | © 2011 Ignatius W.C. van Wyk | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 21 May 2010 | Published: 11 April 2011

About the author(s)

Ignatius W.C. van Wyk, The Africa Institute for Missiology, Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Africa is a continent plagued with many sicknesses and diseases. Self-evidently health and healing would be major concerns and interests of the inhabitants.

Reformed mission has formed a strategic alliance with scientifically tested medicine in the past. Africans do not find this alliance sufficient. They, however, need a medical mission that could deal with ‘African sicknesses’. The question is whether we need an alliance with traditional medical practitioners. Because traditional healing is linked to traditional religion, we are confronted with difficult missiological questions.

The solution offered in this article concentrates on two dimensions, (1) an openness to and a respect for African culture and religion and (2) a radical rediscovery of Jesus as healer.


Keywords

Jesus; healing; Reformed missiology; African primal religiosity

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