One of the books that I brought from North America is Health, Healing and the Church’s Mission. Reading this book was the extent of my interaction with Willard Swartley.

The book is a wonderful – if dense – discussion of the Christian Church’s formal role in healthcare. A role that the contemporary Church has largely stepped away from – the book explores the ramifications of this separation for healthcare systems and for the Church. It is a blending of theology, healthcare administration, sociology, and history in theme. It took some focus to digest but I found it to be a powerful book with a clear sense of calling.

I was sad to hear of Willard Swartley’s passing this week. He was a Professor Emeritus at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and likely would have know Crystal’s maternal Grandparents (Erland and Winifred Waltner) well. An in-depth remembrance of his life can be found at Patheos.