HEALTH AND

RELIGION
1. Health and Religion in the Past
• A. Ancient civilizations:
• In early civilizations, "health and religion were closely united" so that the
physician and the priest are one and the same person. -Leo R. Van Dolson and
J. Robert Spangler, Healthy. Happy, Holy, p. 40
• B. Classical Greek:
• In classical Greek, their cult of beauty and freedom emphasized bodily care and
physical exercise. This led to the "development of personal hygiene never seen
before and rarely since. Personal hygiene and diet were emphasized, as well as
rest and exercise"
• Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, emphasized on the study of patients rather
than the disease. His idea was that "disease is a natural process caused by such
factors as environment, diet, climate, and the individual’s way of life” Ibid p.40
• C. The Ancient Romans:
• The Romans excelled in engineering and administration and developed public
health especially in Rome.
• In the 4th century BC, during the time of Sextus Julius Frontinus, the Roman
Water Commissioner, "quantity and quality of water increased markedly when
the first large aqueduct, which transported water directly from the mountains to
the city of Rome, was constructed. By Frontinus time, nine aqueducts had been
built which delivered millions of millions gallons water to the empire." - Lenor
S. Georke and Earnest L. Stebbins, Mustards Introduction to Public Health, p. 6.
• Rome built many public baths and hospitals and institutions for the care of the
sick and the outcasts. —Ibid. p. 6
• D. The Dark Ages:
• The Catholic church "took attitude that the Roman and Grecian ways of life
pampered the body at the expense of the soul. Accordingly, belittlement of
worldly and physical matters and mortification of the flesh became the preferred
patterns of behavior. This philosophy expanded to such an extent that there
resulted the prolonged intermission in the progress of civilization known as the
Dark Ages, marked by superstition, mysticism, and the rigorous persecution of
free thinkers.
• So intense was the reaction that even included a marked change in attitude toward
sanitation and personal hygiene. It was considered immoral to see even his own
body, therefore people seldom bathed and wore notoriously dirty garments.”
John Hanlon, Principles of Public Health Administration. 5th ed., p. 15
• In 529 Justinian closed the medical schools of Athens and Alexandria at the
prompting of church men. In 1215 Innocent 111 condemned surgery. In
1248 dissection and study of anatomy were pronounced sacrilegious.—
Donald G. Dawe, "The Attitude of the Ancient Church Toward Medicine, "
Part II, Minnesota Medicine. XLVll (No\\ 1964). p. 1352.
• Living in filth became an evidence of holiness. — Leonor S. Georke and
Earnest L Stebbins. Mustard's Introduction to Public Health, pp. 9.
• "There were Christian saints, who, to show their holiness, actually boasted
that they never bathed" and cleanliness was a "sign of weakness and
worldliness and luxury." - Howard W. Hagard, The Doctor m History, p.
151.
• People became infected with vermin. The mattresses they slept on hosted a
variety of insects. — Arthur Swinson, The History' of Public Health, p. 19.
• Thomas A Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in 1170.
When the monks undressed him for burial, lice poured out of his
undergarments "like boiling water"—John J. Hanlon, Principles of Public
Administration, pp. 15,16.
• Wide- spread use of perfume as a cover-up for serious and unrelenting
problem of body odor was the practice. Ibid. p. 16.
• Medieval towns and cities were dirty, crowded, lacking in light, ventilation
and proper drainage. Walking the streets was a distinct hazard, as a slop of
garbage could come sailing out of any open window without concern about
who might be passing by . Rats infested the piles of refuse in the streets,
cesspools overflowed, and epidemics flourished. —Leonor S. Georke and
Earnest L Stebbins Mustards Introduction to Public Health, p. 10
• At times dirt in the streets assumed such proportions
that priests were unable to attend services, and
municipal officials could not appear at their meetings.
-George Rosen, A History of Public Health, p. 57.
• Because of these unhealthy conditions a terrible
epidemic called the Black Death swept across Europe.
It killed millions of people. Perhaps one third of the
population of Europe died in this epidemics.. .known
today as the Bubonic plague— flarold Shryock,
healthful Living, p. 253.
• A combination of dualism in the Platonic traditions of the Greeks, an
abhorrence of sensual Roman life, and the influence of Gnosticism
(promising salvation by release from bodily existence and that in this life we
are to repress and ignore the body) brought into the Christian church a
divided view of man that led Christians to place a low value on the
importance of hygiene and physical fitness Leo Van Dolson and Robert
Spangler, Health, Happy, Holy, p. 42

• "It was not until the middle of the nineteenth century that the tremendous
increase in scientific knowledge led to control of and efforts to prevent
disease, and the advent of what we now call public health," '-Ibid., p. 42
II. Wholistic Concept of Health Today
• Medical science nowadays have come to the realization that man's
physical condition inseparably related to his mental or spiritual
condition. It is found out that 80% - 90% of the diseases common to
man have some psychological or mental or spiritual causes
• Dr. McMillen in his famous book None' of These Diseases, pp. 63,64.
gave partial listing of diseases triggered partially or fully by emotional
or mental stress.
 • Disorders of the Digestive system:
• Ulcers of the mouth, stomach, and intestines
• Loss of appetite,
• Hiccoughs, Constipation. Diarrhea
• Disorders of the Circulatory system:
• High blood pressure Gangrene of the Legs
• Lack of menstruation Rheumatic Fever ;
• Coronary Thrombosis Cerebral Strokes of apoplexy
 • Disorders of Genito-Urinary System:
• Painful menstruation Frequent and painfuUrination
• Lack of menstruation Kidney Disease
• Pre-marital tension and Irritability Menopausal symptoms
• Frigidity and Vaginismus Impotence
• Diseases of Nervous System:
• Headaches of several types Psychoneurosis
• Alcoholism Insanities or Schizophrenia
• Epilepsy Diabetes
• Senile dementia Obesity
 • Allergic Disorders:
• Hives, Hay fever. Asthma
• Infections:
• Infectious mononucleosis, polio, and perhaps all infections
• Skin Diseases;
• Hives Raynaud's Disease
• Atopic Dermatitis Scleroderma
• Neurodermatitis Luposerythematosus disseminata
Psoriasis
• Most of these health problems are caused by emotional problems and
wrong thinking such as:
• Self-centeredness Hate
• Envy Worry
• Jealousy Oversensitivity
• Resentment Guilt feelings Fear
• Fear Sorrow
• Desire of approval Frustrations
• etc.
• Philippians4:8
• "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there can be any
virtue, if there be any praise — think on these things."
• Hebrews 12: 14
• "Follow peace with all men and holiness..."
• Dr. McMillan further stated that" the emotional center produces these widespread changes by
means of three principal mechanisms: by changing the amount of blood flowing to the organ;
by affecting the secretions of certain glands; and by changing the tension of muscles." -Ibid. p.
61
• At the beginning of the century, bacteria was considered the center or attention Now. . . mental
stress has taken place. In fact certain experiments with animals indicated that certain bacteria
could only cause disease when the animal's resistance was lowered by stress. Ibid. p. 60
• Remarkable findings of Modem Research established the inseparable
relationship of man's spiritual condition to his health.
• Israel Ischemis Heart Disease Projects reports that Orthodox Jews who
pray daily have fewer heart attacks than persons who rarely attend
synagogues. — Journal Clinical Diseases 1972. Vol. 25, pp. 665-672.
• It was found out, in the study done by Dr. George W. Comstock of
John Hopkins university, that "the risk of heart disease is most twice
as high for men who attend Church infrequently as for those who
attend once a week or more." — Christianity Today. 1,1971pp.27.28.
• It has also been demonstrated that mortality and morbidity rates can be
reduced as much as 50 percent through health education based upon
Edible instruction and religious motivation.
• Federally funded studies of a sample population of Adventists indicate
a 6.2 years life expectancy advantage among Adventist males in the
United States. -L Van Dolson and R. Spangler. Healthy, Happy, Holy,
p. 18
• Physicians today realize the need of a clergyman partner in the
treatment of patients. Illnesses are found to be "psychosomatic”
("psyche"—mind and "soma"- body ). This is why hospitals employ
chaplains to work with doctors.
• The AMA (American Medical Association) in 1961 established a
department of medicine and religion, with the goal of bringing
physicians and clergyman together for dialogue and understanding that
hopefully might foster their working in a team-relationship. Recent
reports indicate that there are 48 states and 622 country medical
societies which established Medicine and Religion committees. Ibid.
p. 20.
• Dr. Bernard T. Daniels of Denver, Chairman of the AMA Committee
on Medicine and Religion, said in the American Medical News of Oct.
4,1971, pp. 8,9: "We feel that there needs to be a closer cooperation
between the physician and the clergyman for the care of the whole
person. The committee feels that the spiritual component of every
person is a very large factor in the spiritual problems relating to his
state of health."