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Published by The Institute
of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion,
February 18, 2005
Theologian Provides
Personal Witness of Power of Faith and Medicine
for Healing |
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BROOKLINE, MASS. His Eminence Maximos
Aghiorgoussis, Metropolitan of
Pittsburgh and Rev. Dr. Demetrios Constantelos,
will present the keynote addresses at the
conference on Holistic Healing in Byzantium, that
focuses on theological perspectives of healing, to
be held in the Reading Room of the Archbishop
Iakovos Library and Learning Resource Center at
Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of
Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts April 8-9,
2005.
Fr. Constantelos will address the impact of "Faith
and Healing in Sacramental Life: The Byzantine
Experience" and review “the continuity between
non-Christian and Christian Hellenic attitudes
toward faith and healing as he discusses
sacramental approach of Byzantine society to
disease and healing.”
Fr. Constantelos explains, “I examine my topic
from both a historical and theological perspective
to show that faith and healing are interrelated.
Healing depends not only on medical treatment and
pharmaceutical means, but also on faith in the
Source of life, on the cooperation between the
physical and the metaphysical.”
Born and raised in Greece, Fr. Constantelos came
to the United States on a scholarship from the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He received a Masters
in Theology from the Princeton Theology Seminary,
and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University. He
has retired from teaching with the rank of Charles
Cooper Townsend Distinguished Professor Emeritus
of History and Religion at Richard Stockton
College of New Jersey and now serves as
Distinguished Research Scholar in Residence at
Stockton. Fr. Constantelos’ account of healing and
religious belief draws on his background in
psychology and religion and especially as a
survivor of cancer, having spent extended periods
of time in hospitals for heart-valve failure and
tuberculosis. He will address his personal
experience with faith and prayer in healing.
“A holistic approach to healing, faith and
sacramental life have been realities for me,” he
remarked. “I was diagnosed with cancer; I have had
six chemotherapies and twenty radiotherapies,” he
shared his intensely personal story. “I returned
to normal life thanks to my physicians, to
medications, but more thanks for prayers, faith
that never put me to shame, hope that served like
an anchor to a ship, and
love, love for life and service.”
Sponsored by a Lilly Endowment Grant at Hellenic
College, the Metanexus
Institute, and the Kambouras Scholarship, the
event explores the relationship between the
psychosomatic tradition of personhood in Orthodox
Christian theology and modern holistic healing.
The conference offers the audience an
understanding of the epistemology of healing from
an Orthodox theological perspective and emphasizes
healing holistically, with the aim of explaining
the relationship of spiritual healing to
contemporary health sciences such as medicine and
psychology. The April conference will address
Orthodox Christian theology and experiences of
spirituality, explaining mystical theology through
prayer, iconography, miracles, and sacraments as
mediums for healing. Participants are invited to
engage in the dialogue debating whether faith and
science could or should be divided into discrete
disciplines of healing.
The conference will feature leading scholars and
theologians addressing different aspects of the
epistemologies and methodologies of healing and
will foster discussion of the theological insight
of holistic healing and the influence of helping
professions. Presenters include Rev. Nicholas
Triantafilou, president, Hellenic College & Holy
Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology; John T.
Chirban, Ph.D., Th.D. conference chairman,
Hellenic College and Harvard Medical School; Rev.
George D. Dragas, Ph.D.; professor of patristic
and dogmatic theology, Holy Cross School of
Theology; Timothy Patitsas, Th.D. in-residence
scholar, Holy Cross School of Theology; Lily
Macrakis, Ph.D., dean of
Hellenic College; Rossitza Roussanova, Ph.D.,
senior fellow, Department of Classical Studies,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and Emily
Markides, Ph.D., founder of the International
Eco-Peace Village.
Events are free of charge and open to the public.
Participants are invited to support the Healing
Initiative through the Institute of Medicine,
Psychology, and Religion. Please visit inmpr.org
for more information concerning conference
registration. On Saturday, roundtable discussions
will engage exchange about how those in various
healing professions incorporate spiritual and
religious aspects of healing in their practice.
Specific topics include “Theology and Healing,”
“Prayer and Healing the Whole Person,” and
“Personal Transformation
through Prayer.”
To receive more information regarding the
conference please see Inmpr.org or write to:
The Healing Initiative: Byzantine Healing &
Holistic Health
The Institute of Medicine, Psychology, and
Religion
PO Box 380958
Cambridge, MA 02138
Tel: 617-868-6557
Fax: 617-868-6550
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