A Theology of Health: Wholeness and Human Flourishing

by Tyler J. VanderWeele

While the health of the body can be defined by its functioning parts and systems, the health of the person is more complex. To flourish, we need to understand health in the context of God’s intent.

A Theology of Health presents a Christian understanding of the very concept of health, both the health of the body and the health of the person. Preeminent scholar Tyler J. VanderWeele argues that health can be understood as wholeness as intended by God and that sin—whether individual wrongdoing, societal injustice, or the fallenness of creation—causes ill health. VanderWeele explains that restoration and fulfillment of health is salvation, pointed toward in the life of Jesus Christ, to be lived out through the work of the Church, and for which we await final completion. VanderWeele also demonstrates the broader relevance and implications of his insights to all who seek to understand health, well-being, and the ultimate ends of human life.

A Theology of Health is an essential theological exploration that seeks to promote health, healing, and flourishing of the whole person.

Genres: Theology

Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2024

Reviews

[Kathleen]

I learned about this book: The Martin Institute / Dallas Willard Center (MIDWWestmont College) Annual Book Award, established in 2015, honors scholarship that advances the intellectual and spiritual legacy of Dallas Willard, focusing on Christian formation, spiritual reality, and a comprehensive, integrative model of the human person. This was the 2025 Book Award Winner. From the Westmont website: https://www.westmont.edu/about/instit...

Tyler J. VanderWeele, Ph.D., is the John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology in the Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Director of the Human Flourishing Program and Co-Director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion at Harvard University. He holds degrees from the University of Oxford, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University in mathematics, philosophy, theology, finance, and biostatistics. Dr. VanderWeele has published over 500 papers in peer-reviewed journals; is author of the books Explanation in Causal Inference (2015), Modern Epidemiology (2021), Measuring Well-Being (2021), Handbook of Religion and Health (2023), and A Theology of Health (2024); and writes a monthly blog posting on topics related to human flourishing for “Psychology Today.”

As director of the Harvard Human Flourishing Program, VanderWeele is one of the world's leading researchers on the science of human flourishing. For such a researcher to see spiritual health—specifically, new life in Christ—as essential to human flourishing both represents and furthers a cultural reawakening to the value of Christian knowledge for spiritual and moral formation. We hope that honoring VanderWeele's book will help promote and further Willard’s commitment to establishing Christian spiritual and moral formation as publicly accessible knowledge.

See also video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0T18...

[Bruce Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding treatment unlike anything I have read. VanderWeele has long worked in this field at Harvard. He writes as Roman Catholic with heavy reliance on Thomas Aquanis. His style is a strength and a weakness. While he is dry, he is so objective, factual and clear that he carries his argument. I am fascinated by his view of sin as the ultimate cause of ill-health. His distinction of two uses of the word health, physical and wholeness cleared up much confusion. Then his final section on the role of Jesus Christ in health was powerful. I appreciate that he is clear about his perspective as a Catholic, and yet he works hard to broaden his points to all Christians and to all people even those with no faith.