Signs of the Times

Paul J. Tillich

The Rev. Prof. Paul J. Tillich
of The University of Chicago
in a sermon delivered in
Memorial Church, Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

(Reprinted by permission)

It is one of the most memorable facts in the Biblical stories about Jesus that a large part of them are healing stories. There are three types: those in which bodily sick people are directly healed; those in which bodily sick people are forgiven and healed; and those in which mentally ill people are delivered from what was called demonic possession. It is regrettable that most preaching about these stories emphasizes their miraculous character; often using a poor, superstitious notion of miracles instead of showing the profound insight they reveal into disease, health, and healing, and into the inseparable unity of body and mind. They are stories of salvation.... In them, it is visible that saving is healing...

The attitude of him who is to be healed may prevent healing. ...There are many reasons for the desire not to be healed, not to be liberated. He who is weak can exercise a power over his environment, over his family and friends, which can destroy trust and love but gives satisfaction to him who exercises this power through weakness. Many amongst us should ask ourselves whether it is not this that we unconsciously do toward husband or wife; toward children or parents; toward friends or groups.

There are others who do not want liberation because it forces them to encounter reality as it is, and take upon themselves the heaviest burden of man: that of making responsible decisions.

This is especially true of those who are in the bondage of mental disturbances. Certainly they suffer, as those with bodily diseases suffer, but the compensation of gaining power or escaping responsibility appears more important to them than the suffering. They cut themselves off from the saving power that works in all life. For them, this saving power would first of all mean opening themselves up to the desire for salvation of body or mind. But even Jesus could not do it with many —perhaps most—of his listeners.

One could perhaps say that the first work of every healer and liberator is to break through the love of disease and enslavement in those whom he wants to save.

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January 11, 1964

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