The Theology of Health in the Three Abrahamic Religions: A Brief Historical Overview (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

چکیده

The theology of health is a nascent field that emerged from Western academia a few decades ago and has since entered the Islamic and Eastern worlds. While this area of knowledge primarily focuses on the relationship between religion and the various dimensions of human health, it has deep roots in celestial religions and is not confined to contemporary research. A historical review spanning many centuries reveals a widespread belief in the strong connection between religion and human well-being, as well as the use of religious guidance to seek healing from illnesses. Moreover, healing was often considered one of the roles and duties of religious scholars, and in their view, recovery was dependent on supernatural forces. This study provides a brief historical account of the interaction between the three religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and the dimensions of health from their beginnings to the present. The aim is to make the legacy of the past accessible to contemporaries and to serve as a guide for deeper, future research. Using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on library resources, this study demonstrates that the theology of health in the Abrahamic religions shared a relatively common historical background. Religious guidance was used to maintain and improve health, and religious figures were engaged in healing matters. However, this connection was severed during the Renaissance and was only re-established in the last half-century.