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The Sickness of the Messiah: Theology and the Anthropology of Medicine Journal of Religion and Theology Volume 2, Issue 2, 2018, PP 1-11 The Sickness of the Messiah: Theology and the Anthropology of Medicine Simon Dein Professor at Queen Mary College, University of London, uk *Corresponding Author: Simon Dein, Professor at Queen Mary College, University of London, uk ABSTRACT For the faithful the advent of the Millennium signifies the end of sickness and suffering. Here I argue for another position in relation to Jewish Messianism – that the sickness of the Messiah is an integral part of, and indeed essential to, the millennial scenario. I discuss two Jewish messianic claimants, Sabbatai Sevi who suffered from what we would now call manic depression and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson who suffered from a stroke. I argue that, like Jesus, their suffering can be understood through a similar template- the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). Finally from a religious perspective their sickness represents a process of purification and atonement as they undergo a process of descent to purify the souls of sinners. Keywords: Millennium, sickness, suffering , purification, Messiah INTRODUCTION separates from the body and either goes straight to heaven (Gan Eden) or spends time in hell Millennialism and the End of Sickness (Gehinnom) to purge itself of sins. In the End of For believers the advent of the millennium Days, the Messiah will gather the Jewish exiles signifies the end of evil, pain, suffering, to Israel and the Temple will be rebuilt. sickness and death. Sickness we be no more for Sometime later, the dead will be resurrected and the faithful. Christian millennialists assert that reunited with their souls. This new, perfected Christ will use his power to cure every sort of universe is known as the World to Come – sickness malady, and infirmity (Rev 22:17). For HaOlam HaBa. Various passages however the Christian Shakers the arrival of Ann Lee, from the Old Testament testify that there will be seen by her followers as the embodiment of all no more hunger or illness, and death will cease the perfections of God in female form and as the (Isaiah 25:8).1 second coming of Christ, signified the dawning While believers assert an end to suffering come of the millennium and the possibility of the millennium, many people have deployed the abolishing sickness. The Black Church led by teachings of the Bible to assert that suffering is prophet Mpadi Simon Pierre in the Congo necessary before the World attains its highest maintained that God‘s future kingdom on earth level of perfection. As Harak (2000) notes, would be devoid of sickness (MacGaffey 1983). many people in the US have deployed this The Walker River Paiutes performed the Ghost apocalyptic model to help them endure personal, Dance for a period of five days after Wovoka national and international difficulties. promised that there would be no more sickness, disease, or old ageand the dead would return (La The Biblical model is part of a Divine plan for Barre1972). Followers of Mother Earth history whereby things get worse before getting maintained that nature had become impatient better. While this model of course engenders with the Son. She would bring destruction upon fear it is also associated with feelings of the current order of the Son, thus restoring her comfort. There are several versions of this. For original state whereby division and sickness example Dispensational premillennialists hold would no longer occur (Littlewood 1993). that Christ will come before a seven-year period Compared to Christian eschatology, Jewish of intense tribulation to take His church (living eschatological beliefs are less developed. In and dead) into heaven. Historical premillennialists Jewish tradition there is little consensus on how, place the return of Christ just before the what, and when things happen at the end of millennium and just after a time of great times. After death, it is held that the soul apostasy and tribulation. Journal of Religion and Theology V2 ● I2 ● 2018 1 The Sickness of the Messiah: Theology and the Anthropology of Medicine This paper focuses upon Jewish Messianism signify; and a schema of our ultimate destination where I argue for another position in relation to as beings. Every theology involves its practical, sickness. The Messiah‘s sickness plays a key everyday psychology of human life.‘ role in propagation and intensification of Significant differences exist between the millennial fervor. While the experience of disciplines of anthropology and theology. The sickness may stimulate millennial thinking, I academic study of anthropology studies humans contend that the illness of the messianic figure within the natural world whereas theology may be seen by his followers as not only a deliberates upon the ultrahuman world. Davies prelude to the arrival of the redemption but (2002) notes the mutual hostility between more so as essential to its occurrence. The anthropology and theology. However he leader‘s sickness is incorporated into the emphasises that both are concerned with human messianic scenario and followers of messianic experiences. Robbins (2006) examines the movements assert that the Messiah‘s illness relationship between anthropology and theology could be anticipated drawing from biblical texts and admits that can be awkward. First theology such as Isaiah 53-the Suffering Servant has impacted the discipline of anthropology. A narrative. good example is Asad‘s (1993) discussion of the THEOLOGY AND MEDICINE Christian origins of religion and culture. Second theology can be taken as a piece of ethnographic The debate regarding illness and suffering in the data that informs us about the particular field of anthropology can be considered as old Christian culture that produced it. A good as the discipline itself (Kleinman, Das and Lock example is Susan Harding‘s (2000) The Book of 1997).Numerous ethnographic examples teach Jerry Falwell which interrogates how the us that illnesses are not universal entities; rather systematic thinking of church elites shaped illness manifests itself differently in different fundamentalist culture. Third theology could societies, cultures and times; and that there are facilitate the development of anthropology culturally specific illnesses/sufferings. Recent through examination of the concept of radical work in medical anthropology reframes illness ontological otherness ie taking alternative as social suffering. Perspectives on social suffering ontologies seriously. explore diverse aspects of human experience that are usually considered separately, bringing together KABBALAH AND SICKNESS conditions that simultaneously involve health, This paper focuses upon Kabbalistic theology in welfare, legal, moral and religious issues. Social the formation of Jewish millennial movements, suffering results from ‗what political, economic, particularly the Zoharand the Lurianic and institutional power does to people and, Kabbalah. The Zohar(Hebrew lit. "Splendor" or reciprocally, from how these forms of power "Radiance") is the thirteenth century foundational themselves influence responses to social work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought problems‘ (Kleinman 1997:ix). written in Spain by Moses De Leon. It contains The experience of serious sickness, both physical scriptural interpretations of the Torah alongside and mental, necessitates explanation. The material on mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and Anthropology of Medicine provides numerous mystical psychology. Lurianic Kabbalah takes examples whereby appeal to religious frameworks its name from Isaac Luria (1534–1572), one of is made during episodes of sickness. These ultra the great sages of Kabbalah. Lurianic human explanatory models often involve ideas Kabbalah is considered modern Kabbalah, deriving from what we might label under the rubric orKabbalah as it was practiced from the of theology, not only accounting for but also sixteenth century to the present. justifying this suffering and at the same time The Lurianic Kabbalahstresses the role of prayer offering solutions in terms of religious healing. and ritual in tikkun olam- repair of the World. Theology and the interpretation of religious texts According to this God contracted part of God's provide valuable ethnographic data for religious self into vessels of light—partly limiting groups. As Littlewood and Lynch (216:2) note: himself—to create the world. These vessels ‗ A theology tells us what a person is, how shattered and their shards became sparks of light people differ, how they act and are motivated, a trapped within the material of creation. Some theory of uniformity and difference; it offers a areas of the universe were illuminated schema for the natural and ultra human worlds, representing goodness , while others remained for agency, and for influence; how appetites, in darkness representing evil. Prayer, especially emotions and cognitions arise, what they contemplation of various aspects of the divinity 2 Journal of Religion and Theology V2 ● I2 ● 2018 The Sickness of the Messiah: Theology and the Anthropology of Medicine (sephirot), is able to release these sparks of THE SUFFERING MESSIAH God's self, thus bringing about a reunion with Morgan and Weitzman (2014) note how through God's essence, bringing them closer to a fixed the centuries, the messianic tradition has world. Sickness is inevitable in this scheme of provided a language through which modern things. It is only through the performance of Jewish philosophers, socialists, and Zionists mitzvot (good deeds) that the universe
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