Drawing on New Testament studies and recent scholarship on the expansion of the Christian church, Gary B. Ferngren presents a comprehensive historical account of medicine and medical philanthropy in the first five centuries of the Christian era. Ferngren first describes how early Christians understood disease. He examines the relationship of early Christian medicine to the natural and supernatural modes of healing found in the Bible. Despite biblical accounts of demonic possession and miraculous healing, Ferngren argues that early Christians generally accepted naturalistic assumptions about disease and cared for the sick with medical knowledge gleaned from the Greeks and Romans. Ferngren also explores the origins of medical philanthropy in the early Christian church. Rather than viewing illness as punishment for sins, early Christians believed that the sick deserved both medical assistance and compassion. Even as they were being persecuted, Christians cared for the sick within and outside of their community. Their long experience in medical charity led to the creation of the first hospitals, a singular Christian contribution to health care. "A succinct, thoughtful, well-written, and carefully argued assessment of Christian involvement with medical matters in the first five centuries of the common era . . . It is to Ferngren's credit that he has opened questions and explored them so astutely. This fine work looks forward as well as backward; it invites fuller reflection of the many senses in which medicine and religion intersect and merits wide readership."—Journal of the American Medical Association "In this superb work of historical and conceptual scholarship, Ferngren unfolds for the reader a cultural milieu of healing practices during the early centuries of Christianity."—Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith "Readable and widely researched . . . an important book for mission studies and American Catholic movements, the book posits the question of what can take its place in today's challenging religious culture."—Missiology: An International Review Gary B. Ferngren is a professor of history at Oregon State University and a professor of the history of medicine at First Moscow State Medical University. He is the author of Medicine and Religion: A Historical Introduction and the editor of Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction.

In this book, a physician, well-known for praying with his patients, and an award-winning professor of theology share their insights on how religious faith can provide help in the healing process of today's health care ministry. The authors avoid rehashing analytical theories on suffering and the "miracles" of healing they may have seen, instead examining how personal faith can enhance the immune system, how a spiritual outlook can help bear the burden of suffering and grief, and how forbearance and forgiveness are crucial in maintaining a healthy attitude toward life.

GOD'S HEALTH PLAN - THE AUDACIOUS JOURNEY TO A BETTER LIFE A Principle Approach Study to Food, Health Care & Environmental Issues By Ricki Pepin A desperate Mom is willing to do a lot for a chronically ill child. After 12 years of disabling, undiagnosed sickness for her son, the author had all but lost hope. She began her own research to find relief for her child, unaware of the vast scope of the journey before her. Sickness carries not only physical, but spiritual roots. Health encompasses not just diet, but lifestyle choices, medical decisions and environmental issues. The solution to her son's dilemma came through prayer, study and application of seven biblical principles. God's health plan is about wholeness and restoration; adding life to your years, not just years to your life. It's not what you have to do. It's what you can do. God's health plan is not a destination. It's a daily journey - a sometimes audacious journey. Are you ready to begin yours? ."This book would be a valuable reference to anyone who wants to understand God's principles of health." - Bill Gothard, President - Institute in Basic Life Principles ."you will learn to better understand your God-designed body and how to care for it." - Dr. Bill Sears, widely known as "America's Pediatrician" Ricki Pepin is a wife, mother and grandmother. A former homeschool teacher to her children, she was introduced to the Principle Approach to education in 1991 and developed an enthusiastic vision for entire families to learn and apply the seven principles to every area of their lives. She does not set herself up as an expert on health, but rather equips the reader with the tools necessary to search out their own answers, as she did. Her excitement and hope are contagious as she spreads the message of personal and corporate stewardship practices that can change individual's lives and make this earth a healthier place for our great-great-grandchildren.

Millions of patients travel abroad every year, and the number of trips around the world to benefit from health services is increasing. The high level of global demand for health services has influenced the rapid development of the tourism industry. Many destinations providing high-quality healthcare services at low prices have emerged. Due to these developments in the industry, the health tourism market, one of the fastest growing markets, has emerged. Countries operating in the industry are also striving to increase their market shares. Therefore, it is important to understand the dynamics of this global phenomenon. Global Perspectives on the Opportunities and Future Directions of Health Tourism provides new theoretical, practical, and strategic insights into the field of health tourism. It discusses in detail the health tourism industry and its importance for the global economy, countries, and destinations. Covering topics such as elderly consumers, historical development, and image and branding, this premier reference source is an essential resource for government officials, hospital administrators, policymakers, business managers and executives, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Provides expert help you need to make difficult bio-ethical decisions, covering a broad range of current and future health care issues, as well as institutional and social issues applicable to multiple disciplines and settings.

Discusses health care reform as a strategy for dealing with the failures of politics - not just the failures of the health care market. As former Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Planning for New York State Department of Health, the author presents a narrative about his work to develop a universal health care and insurance plan for the State.

This book explores how person-centred health care could be refined to help persons alleviate pain-related distress and construct pain as a potentially positive experience. Rethinking Pain in Person-Centred Health Care is a fascinating contribution to the multidisciplinary literature on person-centred health care, pain and ethics. Traditionally, Western intellectual culture has downplayed the intuitive and emotional, promoting instead rational, natural-scientific perspectives. Applied to pain, an instrumental approach promotes the immediate and effective relief of pain, due to the widespread suffering and expense it can cause. However, different persons experience pain in different ways and Buetow moves beyond a commitment to eliminate pain to exploring how benefits of pain could include creating and managing meaning from pain. Rather than always looking to put pain behind them, persons may flourish by moving around pain, through pain, into pain and above pain. Buetow argues that this model depends on adopting a person-centred approach to health care, focusing less on the condition of pain and more on mobilizing the persons who present with, and manage, pain. This book will be of interest to professionals and academics/researchers in the fields of psychology and psychiatry who have a special interest in people with persistent pain conditions. It will also be an invaluable resource for physiotherapists, chronic pain consultants in secondary care and GPs.