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Medicine & Health Care in Early Christianity - 9780801891427

Un libro in lingua di Ferngren Gary B. edito da Johns Hopkins Univ Pr, 2009

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The myth of Christianity as an opponent of medicine was first coined during the Enlightenment and promulgated in the nineteenth century by two influential historians. In his careful reading of the New Testament, several of the Church Fathers and pagan authorities, Ferngren (history, Oregon State University) makes a definitive case for retiring the myth. He puts the first Christians within their Jewish or pagan traditions, both of whom relied on Greek medical theories alongside local folk medicine. While miraculous healing was part of their belief, it did not follow that Christians expected a miracle every time they had the sniffles. Ferngren explains the complexities of attitudes that developed as Christianity spread into cultures which had their own traditions of healing. Among the many important points he makes to support his thesis, Ferngren gives examples of the Christians' belief that they should care for each other, which extended to care of the sick and infirm. This was noted by pagan writers, who chastised their fellows for not having the charity of Christians. Rather than overstating his argument, Ferngren places medicine within the belief system of the antique world, in which prayers, amulets and pharmaceutical remedies were practiced simultaneously. This is an excellent, scholarly and much-needed rectification of a popular misunderstanding. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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