Anointing of the sick and the healing ministry

Christian faith is not a stranger to problems of health. The basic reason for this lies at the heart of its message, namely, the proclamation of a saviour Jesus Christ. In the footsteps and in the name of Jesus, the Church continues to engage in symbolic actions of salvation encompassing the somatic, psychological and spiritual dimensions of the human being. The integration of these various dimensions has always been a source of ambivalence. Through its practice of healing down the ages the Church has been able to inculturate the Christian message; but not without the risks of the ‘manipulation’ of the divine power which have gone with these practices. Throughout its long history anointing of the sick has almost constantly oscillated between physical and spiritual effects. This book critically examines the manifold practices of healing which flourish today in our midst especially in Nigeria. It emphasizes the teaching of the Church on healing and the healing power of the sacraments and proposes the inculturation of the ritual of anointing the sick that will be truly Christian and authentically African.