Why we exist
Our Vision: What do we want to see?
Our vision is to see and be flourishing communities made up of flourishing individuals. We believe God desires abundant life for all people, and that the Church has a unique role in nurturing health, hope, connection and wellbeing in partnership with others. At every level, we long to see lives transformed, communities strengthened, and a more healed and healing world.
Our Purpose: What is ‘ours to do’?
We exist to equip and inspire churches and individual Christians to be healing presences in the world – for the benefit of all. This is the mission Jesus has given us and what God empowers us to do.
We help people, churches and communities discover what it means to live, heal and flourish in the light of God’s love – bringing together faith, science, healthcare and community to equip people to participate in God’s healing work in the world.
In everything we do, we seek to nurture health and healing in ourselves, our communities and our world.
The need we are responding to
Today, the world continues to be a fraught and lonely place; our communities need people who offer compassion, belonging and healing – and so the work continues through the grace of God.
The work is guided by good theology, informed by science, and shaped by the wisdom of our communities. Here are the foundations of this way of being and working in the world today:
- We are each on a unique health and wellbeing journey. We start where we are, as we are.
- Our wellbeing – individually and collectively – lies at the intersection of faith, robust science, evidence-based healthcare, and flourishing communities. This is holistic health.
- Our spiritual life is a core part of our humanity. Christian faith invites people to follow Jesus Christ – which includes an honest engagement with the experience of suffering and his command to heal.
- Our individual health is inextricably linked with our community and wider world. Holistic health is enabled through just and flourishing communities.
- Individual and collective pain and suffering is widespread and the health of our planet is being undermined. Much of this is driven and exacerbated by social injustice, including health inequalities.
- Modern medicine has theological foundations and grew out of practical healthcare offered by faith communities who were tending to ‘the poor, the sick and the dying’.
- We celebrate science as a key tool to understand the world and ourselves and we recognise its limitations.
- Health is complex and multifaceted, yet the siloed nature of many academic contexts limits the knowledge we foster and use to shape health practice and community life.
- Healthcare is not the sole jurisdiction of healthcare professionals. Everyone has a part to play in enabling health for themselves and others. With attention and training we can grow in our capacity to be healers.
- Facing the impacts of global and local challenges (including pandemics, the threat of war, rising community tensions, and climate change) faith-based organisations have a significant opportunity to work with local and national bodies in bringing positive impacts to their communities.
- As part of its mission, the Church is called to heal. History has shown that healing and the missional growth of the Church are linked.
- The Guild of Health and St Raphael joins with others in the wider movement pursuing health and wellbeing for all. We have a distinctive contribution to bring.
- We are not a community of the healed. Empowered by God, we journey with our health challenges and the pain of the world, towards flourishing.