Article January 11, 1964 Issue

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...

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