Keith Warrington: Healing & Suffering

Second, while Healing & Suffering refreshingly resists trends to excerpt from Scripture some formulaic model for healing ministry, it might do well to consider the category of precedent. As is well known, a precedent is basically that which is prior in time, order, arrangement, or significance and can serve as an act or instance that may be used as an example in dealing with subsequent similar instances. Jesus used the precedent of Abiathar the high priest and the consecrated bread to defend his own and his disciples’ actions regarding what critical religionists considered the desecration of the Sabbath (Mk 2:25-26). Interestingly, Paul was not afraid to utilize even Christ’s atoning death as a participatory precedent (Pp. 3:10; cf. Gal 6:17). Was there a precise formulaic correspondence model in such cases? No. However, there was an initial or original event or experience that meaningfully informed the inherent nature of subsequent belief and practice. So too, Pentecostals, and others, can look to the healing ministries of Jesus and the Apostles for guidance concerning their approaches to healing ministry. Although Warrington’s repeated insistence on “lessons” learned from Jesus’ and the Apostles’ healing ministries in the Gospels and Acts may intend to offset a complete disconnect, I don’t think that approach alone is robust enough to do justice to the biblical record or for a Pentecostal hermeneutic. Nevertheless, Healing & Suffering is certainly, in my opinion, on the right track in countering popular notions of biblical healing “models” that often lead to abuse at some level—particularly when naively applied in a formulaic or mechanistic manner.

Third, I cannot conscientiously refrain from briefly remarking on the repetitious emphasis in Healing & Suffering that Jesus’ and the Apostles’ healing ministries, along with exorcisms and other manifestations of the miraculous, were mostly all about pointing to Jesus’ messianic identity and ministry. Certainly none will deny the unique nature of Jesus’ miracles as pointing to and provoking faith in him (John 14:11). However—although of course I don’t accuse Keith Warrington of this by any means—such a view could all too easily degenerate into old dispensationalist arguments for cessationism. Thus, miraculous healings, along with other “supernatural” occurrences, can simply be confined to the first century witness to Christ. Warrington correctly avoids this error by appealing to the post-biblical historical evidence of continuing miracles, including healings. Yet the biblical foundation of this continuing charismatic history may have already been undermined by a too casual dismissal of the paradigmatic nature of Jesus’ and the Apostles’ ministries for Christian ministry across the epochs. Likely, many Pentecostals would respond with something like quoting Hebrews 13:8!

I’ve responded perhaps more lengthily to this text because I see it as important. Appropriately relating the doctrine of divine healing and the experience of human suffering is perhaps one of the most pressing challenges for contemporary believers attending Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. In Healing & Suffering, Keith Warrington makes an admirable effort toward that almost overwhelming work. Further, as I understand it, and in specific agreement with him, I am convinced that integrating biblical, pastoral, and theological insights and issues is the way forward. Whether one completely agrees with him, partly agrees, or disagrees altogether, Warrington’s Healing & Suffering is certainly recommended reading for anyone wrestling with correlating God’s healing power and humanity’s all-too-frequent suffering.

Reviewed by Tony Richie

 

Tags: healing, keith, suffering, warrington

Category: Biblical Studies, Spring 2010