Melanie Dobson: Health as a Virtue
Melanie L. Dobson, Health as a Virtue: Thomas Aquinas and the Practice of Habits of Health, Princeton Theological Monograph Series (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2014), xiv + 146 pages, ISBN 9781620325612.
With the rise in obesity among adults and children globally, it is not surprising, perhaps, that American Christians struggle with obesity and its resulting health problems. This culture of allowing oneself to go and ignoring one’s vitality is deeply embedded in the church; however, the premise of this book is that healthy habits are part of the moral life, and by practicing these habits, Christians can live a more faithful life with God. Health isn’t just a concern for the overweight, however. Humans also suffer from chronic illnesses unrelated to nutritional deficits. Dobson’s work acknowledges that chronically ill persons still desire to live healthful lives and flourish in their spirituality to every degree possible. This book explores ways in which Christians can achieve holistic flourishing through practicing health as a habit. The author explores and interprets what Thomas Aquinas has to say on the topic of health as a habit in his Summa Theologiae.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part (chapters one to eight) is the theoretical framework laying out health as a virtuous habit to be pursued. Relying on Aquinas’s writing on the virtues and health and his appropriation of Aristotle’s teaching on the virtues, Dobson shows how we can view health as a virtuous pursuit with the end (telos) in God. Chapter seven, in particular, zeroes in on the practical application of healthy habits that lead to a flourishing (eudaimonia) of individuals in their relationship to self, others, and God. Chapter eight considers why believers should cultivate habits of health. The goal of healthy living isn’t for the sake of health itself but, more importantly, for the sake of God. In other words, “the love of God becomes the end (telos) of health practices.” Health as habit is defined as the ethical intention and effort to live lives that lead us deeper into love with God and neighbor. Dobson asserts that Aquinas believes Christians have a responsibility to practice healthy habits.
By focusing on holistic health that includes exercise, eating well nutritionally, and spiritual practices, pastors and missionaries reported a greater flourishing in their interactions with others.
Category: Living the Faith, Summer 2017