William Carey International Development Journal

William Carey International Development Journal invites scholarly papers on the theme “The Problem of Evil and Disease Eradication” for its Summer 2013 issue.

Mosquitoes undoubtedly annoy everyone. But what if one mosquito bite led to the end of your life?

The theme for this year is “Getting to Zero” by 2015 – Zero AIDS Related Deaths, Zero New Infections and Zero Discrimination. It may sound overly ambitious, but the thing is – we could actually do it. Countries around the world are seeing huge progress in averting AIDS-related deaths (an estimated 2.5 million since 1995) and in halting new infections (at their lowest levels since 1997).

Why have believers never considered a coordinated disease eradication effort within the range of our responsibility?

Given the prevalence in the New Testament of the assumption that sickness and disease are a work of the devil (Mt 9:32, 12:22, 17:14-18, Lk 13:10-16, Act 10:38), plus the absolute finality implied in the word eradication, the cause of disease eradication seems to resonate quite profoundly with Christ’s purpose of destroying the works of the devil.

Following Christ’s example, believers have devoted tremendous efforts and genuine compassion to treating and caring for the sick. Think of the many hospitals established by believers since the time of Constantine, or the health clinics and medical missionaries spread all over the globe today. Believers are even involved in disease prevention work, as in the case of the many groups who distribute anti-malarial bed nets,1 or denominations that have produced educational materials addressing HIV-AIDS. But there is a relatively new reality in the fight against disease and it is the conviction of the Roberta Winter Institute that believers can play a significant role.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

While the devil’s works can be summarized as bringing death—both physical (disease and deformity, social chaos, mental chaos) and spiritual (unbelief, hatred), the Son of God appeared to give life (1 John 4:9). The appearing of the Son of God is seen to result in works and characteristics that are the opposite of those associated with the sin of the devil, thus nullifying or destroying them.

I would like to use some of my detailed exegetical studies, in which Ralph Winter was my mentor, to engage in social discourse on the topic of a theology of disease. My studies start with a biblical explanation for the origin of disorder and evil in this world and why this is emphasized before the account of Creation has even begun.