nach oben

Journal of Religion and Health

Erschienen in:

01.03.2009 | Original Paper

The Body of Christ has AIDS: The Catholic Church Responding Faithfully to HIV and AIDS in Papua New Guinea

verfasst von: Angela Kelly

Erschienen in: Journal of Religion and Health | Ausgabe 1/2009

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Using the example of the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea (PNG), I detail how, through praxis, it has brought to life a living theology of HIV and AIDS. In this way, the Catholic Church in PNG is responding faithfully to the epidemic. As a Christian country with a generalised HIV epidemic, where the body of an individual is reconstituted through the liturgical practices of baptism and Eucharist, theologically, in PNG the body of Christ has AIDS. In order to examine the ways in which the Catholic Church in PNG has responded faithfully to the Christian body with AIDS, I do so in relation to the three theological virtues of faith, hope and love.

This is not to dismiss the wonderful work being done by a number of other Christian Churches in Papua New Guinea.

The Christian Revival Church claims to offer spiritual healing and thus advocates that members stop taking their antiretroviral drugs.

I thank Tim Leech for helping me clarify this point.

Huli are one of the largest tribe in Papua New Guinea. They are from the Southern Highlands Province.

O arise, all you sons of this land!

Let us sing of your joy to be free,

Praising God, and rejoicing to be

Papua New Guinea!

Now give thanks to the Good Lord above

For his kindness, his wisdom and love.

For this land of our fathers is free

Papua New Guinea!

The Collaboration for Health in PNG is a philanthropic endeavour of a number if Australian pharmaceutical companies to build the capacity of HIV service delivery in PNG.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

See Reformed Ecumenical Council (2005) who state that this was their inspiration. I am indebted to their writing for this description which I have adapted.

Author Unknown. (2005). Introduction, A Report of a Theological Workshop Focusing on HIV- and AIDS-related Stigma (pp. 11–17), Namibia: UNAIDS.

Altman, D. (1992). The most political of diseases. In E. Timewell, V. Minichiello, & D. Plummer (Eds.), AIDS in Australia (pp. 55–72). Sydney: Prentice Hall.

Barth, K. (n.d.). Church dogmatics, IV/3.2, ‘The Doctrine of Reconciliation’.

Benton, K., & Fox, P. (2005). Enhancing the capacity of Christian Churches to respond to HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea. Paper presented at the Pan Pacific Regional HIV/AIDS Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 25–28 October.

Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. (2001). Right relationships in ministry: Guidelines for promoting sexual responsibility. Port Moresby: Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. (2005). HIV-AIDS Policy Manual, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands: Port Moresby, PNG.

Catholic Bishops of PNG and the Solomon Islands. (1999). STD and AIDS statement of concern by the Catholic Bishops of PNG and the Solomon Islands. Port Moresby: Catholic Bishops of PNG and the Solomon Islands.

Churches Medical Council of PNG. (2001).

Clifford, P. (2004). Theology and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. London: Christian Aid.

Pastoral Statement on AIDS—Ghana Bishops’ Conference, October 1990. In R. Vitillo Pastoral and Theological Challenges of HIV and AIDS. National Seminar organized for Priests in Ghana by the Centre for Human Development, Accra 16–17 June 2004.

Delbos, G. (1985). The mustard seed: From a French mission to a Papuan Church 1885–1985. Port Moresby: Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies.

Dube, M. (2004). Theological education in the HIV/AIDS struggle. EHAIA NEWS, 4, 1–3. January.

Eves, R. (2003). AIDS and apocalypticism: interpretations of the epidemic from Papua New Guinea. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 5(3), 249–264. doi:10.1080/136910501171706.CrossRef

Eves, R. (2008). Moral reform and miraculous cures: Christian healing and AIDS in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. In R. Eves & L. Butt (Eds.), Making sense of AIDS: Culture, sexuality and power in Melanesia (pp. 353–379). Honolulu: University of Hawaii.

Gilles, Bishop of Kiunga. (2005). Choose life: A letter from your Bishop. Our Response to HIV/AIDS.

NSRRT & Jenkins (1994). National study of sexual and reproductive knowledge and behaviour in PNG. IMR Monograph No. 10.

Kopelman, L. (2002). If HIV/AIDS is punishment, who is bad? The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 27(2), 231–243. doi:10.1076/jmep.27.2.231.2987.PubMedCrossRef

Leke, D. (2003). The role of churches in nation building in Papua New Guinea. In D. Kavamura, C. Yala, & Q. Clements (Eds.) Building a nation in Papua New Guinea: Views of the post-independence generation (pp. 283–308), Canberra: Pandanus Books.

Lepani, L. (2004). Pitching a message for change. Paper presented at HIV/AIDS in PNG: Priorities for Policy and Social Research, September, Canberra: Australian National University.

Luker, V. (2004). Civil society, social capital and the churches: HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea, state, society and governance in Melanesia Project Working Paper, ANU.

McDonagh, E. (1994). Theology in a time of AIDS, CAFOD, www.cafod.org.uk/worship downloaded 22 February 2007.

Messer, D. (2004). Global AIDS and ‘The Theology of a few’, National Catholic Reporter: Global Perspective, 2(31), 1–3.

National AIDS Council Secretariat. (2007). The 2007 estimation report on the HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby: NACS.

National AIDS Council Secretariat. (2008). UNGASS 2008 country progress report. Reporting period: January 2006–December 2007. Port Moresby: NACS.

O’Donohue, M. (1994). Memo from Sr. Maura O’Donohue MMM: Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS, National Catholic Reporter Online. http://ncronline.org/NCR_Online/documents/UrgentConcernsO'DONOHUE.htm.

Pirpir, L. (2005). Report: Heads of Churches’ HIV/AIDS Leadership Workshop, Catalyst, 35(2), 174–182.

PNG Law Reform Commission. (1992). Final Report on Domestic Violence. Report No. 14. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

PNG National Statistical Office. (2003). Papua New Guinea 2000 census. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office.

Reid, E. (2006). Church Leaders and HIV/AIDS: Inter-Faith Coordination and Cooperation Report. Unpublished report.

Shuman, J. (1999). The body of compassion: Ethics, medicine and the church. Colorado: Westview Press.

Siegel, K., & Schrimshaw, E. (2002). The perceived benefits of religious and spiritual coping among older adults living with HIV/AIDS. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41(1), 91–102.CrossRef

Tan, M. (2000). Religion and HIV/AIDS, AIDS Action: Asia-Pacific Edition, Issue 47, April–June, 1–3.

Tangenberg, K. (2001). Surviving two diseases: Addiction, recovery and spirituality among mothers living with HIV disease. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 82(5), 517–524.

Tevi, K. (2005). Churches and HIV/AIDS: The care and love is there but for the wrong reasons. Paper presented at the Pan Pacific Regional HIV/AIDS Conference, Auckland, New Zealand 26–28 October.

Treichler, P. (1999). How to have theory in an epidemic: Cultural chronicles of AIDS. Durham: Duke University Press.

Vitillo, R. (2005). HIV and AIDS: the challenge and the context why should churches respond to the issues of stigma and discrimination in relation to HIV and AIDS? A Report of a Theological Workshop Focusing on HIV- and AIDS-related Stigma (pp. 19–26). Namibia: UNAIDS.

Wardlow, H. (2008). “You have to understand: Some of us are glad AIDS has arrived”: Christianity and condoms among the Huli, Papua New Guinea. In R. Eves & L. Butt (Eds.), Making sense of AIDS: Culture, sexuality and power in Melanesia (pp. 324–352). Honolulu: University of Hawaii.

Titel: The Body of Christ has AIDS: The Catholic Church Responding Faithfully to HIV and AIDS in Papua New Guinea
verfasst von: Angela Kelly
Publikationsdatum: 01.03.2009
Verlag: Springer US
Erschienen in: Journal of Religion and Health / Ausgabe 1/2009
Print ISSN: 0022-4197
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-6571
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9220-z

Live-Webinar: Aktuelle Leitlinien bei Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen

Springer Medizin

The Body of Christ has AIDS: The Catholic Church Responding Faithfully to HIV and AIDS in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Live-Webinar: Aktuelle Leitlinien bei Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen

Springer Medizin

Abstract

Bitte loggen Sie sich ein, um Zugang zu diesem Inhalt zu erhalten

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 1/2009

Terrorism, Post-traumatic Stress, Coping Strategies, and Spiritual Outcomes

Causal Thinking After a Tsunami Wave: Karma Beliefs, Pessimistic Explanatory Style and Health Among Sri Lankan Survivors

The Complex Use of Religion in Decisions on Organ Transplantation

A Review of Jesus The Village Psychiatrist. By Donald Capps. 192 pp. John Knox, 2008. $16.99

Countertransference and the Erotic

A Review of Faith-Based HIV Prevention Programs