What Does Our Faith Say About Health & Healthcare?

Social justice is embedded in the history of the United Methodist Church. According to UMC.org that history begins with Wesley himself, and the early church’s opposition to slavery, smuggling, prison conditions, alcohol abuse and more. See this article by Rev. Ryan Dunn on social justice. It encompasses how social justice can mean many things to individuals, but how it is about easing the burdens of others, and ensuring mutual welfare. "Our love of God is always linked with love of our neighbor, a passion for justice and renewal in the life of the world" (Book of Discipline 2012, p. 51).

The Church has a set of Social Principles meant to “urge us to make a difference and to live differently in the world” (UMC.org). These social principles date back to 1908, and have been revised since 2013.

UMCjustice.org states that “health is a state of complete physical, mental and spiritual and social well-being”. The Methodist Church “strongly advocates for parity in access, insurance coverage and service quality between health care”. The church also discusses addressing not only health itself, but the social determinants of health. UMCjustice.org sites the following Bible verses:

The Bible is clear in our duty to our neighbors. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God condemns the leaders of Israel for failing to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, or bind up the injured. (Ezekiel 34:4)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

“God’s word calls us to a ministry of healing; a ministry that understands healing not only in physiological terms but also as wholeness of spiritual, mental and social being.” (Book of Resolutions, 3241)

Christ’s identification with suffering people was made clear when he said that “whatsoever you do to the least of these, you also do to me.” (Matthew 23:40, paraphrased)

The Bible makes both personal and government responsibility for the wellbeing of others clear. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God condemns the leaders of Israel for failing to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, or bind up the injured. (Ezekiel 34:4) Jesus, often known to us as “Christ the Great Physician” went further when addressing those blessed with resources, as the United States is: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48)

Some suggestions provided by the church in relation to global health are to help a group in the congregation to look at the social determinants of health in your community and ask how your church can help to address them, research health in a country other than your own, and identify “heroes of health”.

Some suggestions provided by the church in relation to healthcare in the United States are to call your member of Congress, talk about healthcare issues with the whole congregations, and find others in the community to develop local efforts in improving health.

Some suggestions provided by the church in relation to mental health are to work to reduce stigma around mental illness, implement a Caring Congregations program, plan a worship service for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Some suggestions provided by the church in relation to addiction are to contact your local community leaders to prevent addiction, talk about addiction with your congregation, and work to develop local strategies for prevention.

Some suggestions provided by the church in relation to HIV and AIDS are to support the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, advocate with your policymakers, work to end stigma, violence, and increase protective/preventative factors.

Here is a short document entitled Faith & Facts: Global Health that briefly encaptures what our faith says on global health.

Here are short documents entitled Faith & Facts that briefly encapture what our faith says on healthcare in the United States.

Here is a short document entitled Faith & Facts: Health and Wholeness that briefly encaptures what our faith says on mental health.

Here are some short documents entitled Faith & Facts that briefly encapture what our faith says on addiction.

Here is a short document entitled Faith & Facts: HIV and AIDS that briefly encaptures what our faith says on HIV and AIDS

The Proposed Social Principles for 2020 state the following:

“Substance abuse refers both to the devastating psychological and physiological effects of dependence and to the broader social consequences of abuse. In responding to the widespread realities of substance abuse disorders, we begin with the recognition of the devastating impacts of addiction and of the misuse and abuse of legal and illegal substances in the lives of individual users, extended families and entire communities.”

“We affirm health care as a basic human right and vow to work toward expanded access to all forms of medical treatment, including preventative, therapeutic, and palliative care.”

“Health care as a human right also means that clinics, hospitals, and medical services and treatments must be accessible, affordable and of good quality. They must also be available when and where they are needed and be provided on an equitable basis.”

“ We call on national governments and international health organizations and medical groups to work cooperatively and expeditiously to address global pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, as well as outbreaks of contagious diseases that threaten the health and well-being of entire countries and regions. As a church, we support other measures and initiatives to improve human health, including investments in preventative care, good nutrition, continuing research in infectious disease prevention and treatment, pre- and postnatal health, and substance abuse treatment on demand.”