In Christian theology

Christian theology

- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...

, the Gifts of healing are among the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. As an extraordinary charism

Charism

In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...

, gifts of healing are supernatural

Supernatural

The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

 enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit (Christianity)

For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God...

. In the Greek

Koine Greek

Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....

 of the New Testament

New Testament

The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....

, both the words gift and healing are plural.

In the Gospel of Mark

Gospel of Mark

The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...

's account of the Great Commission

Great Commission

The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...

, Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

 stated that one of the signs to follow believers in him would be healing after the laying on of hands

Laying on of hands

The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms....

. In the fifth chapter of the Epistle of James

Epistle of James

The Epistle of James, usually referred to simply as James, is a book in the New Testament. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ", with "the earliest extant manuscripts of James usually dated to mid-to-late third century."There are four views...

, anointing with oil is involved with the laying on of hands and prayer over the sick. These symbolize that believers were channels of divine power and that the healing was the work of the Holy Spirit. Healing is also connected with the forgiveness of sins.

Pentecostal and charismatic

Charismatic movement

The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...

 Christians believe "that God has made provision that physical healing would be a ministry of His church and that gifts of healings would operate along with faith".. However, they also believe that no minister of healing will heal all that come to them. Faith on the part of the one who prays is essential for healing, but many times faith on the part of one being prayed for is important as well. All Pentecostals and charismatics are encouraged to pray for the healing of the sick even if they do not claim possession of the supernatural gift.

Further reading

• Graves, Jr., Wilfred
  Wilfred Graves, Jr.
  Wilfred Graves, Jr. is a scholar, minister, mathematician, and published author. He is the first African American to graduate from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. in Historical Theology. His doctoral dissertation was entitled “Popular and Elite Understandings of Miracles in Enlightened...
  
  . In Pursuit of Wholeness: Experiencing God's Salvation for the Total Person. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2011. ISBN 978-0768437942.
• Lim, David. "Spiritual Gifts" in Systematic Theology, A Pentecostal Perspective revised edition, edited by Stanley M. Horton
  Stanley M. Horton
  Stanley M. Horton, Th.D., is a theologian within the Pentecostal movement and the author of numerous books. He is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible and Theology at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, Missouri....
  
  . Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 1994. ISBN 0882438557.
• Wagner, C. Peter
  C. Peter Wagner
  Charles Peter Wagner Christian missionary, writer, teacher, and church growth specialist, notable for his controversial spiritual warfare practices and beliefs...
  
  . Discover Your Spiritual Gifts: The Easy-To-Use, Self-Guided Questionnaire That Helps You Identify and Understand Your Various God-Given Spiritual Gifts, expanded edition. Regal, 2010. ISBN 978-0830736782.