The Church's Response to People Living With Hiv/Aids in Kenya As A New Phenomenon of Biblical "Leprosy
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Date
2011
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
In some books of the Bible terms such as leprosy and leper are used in the
text of the book. This is evident in both the Old Testament and the New Testament
but then they are used extensively especially in the Old Testament with specific
reference to the book of Leviticus.
Lepers in the Bible are among the many sick people mentioned in the Bible
but what is unique about this group of sick people is the attitude of the faith
community towards these lepers. In the Bible lepers are often treated as social
outcasts in the community because of the prejudice attached to their condition of
infirmity. Regardless of the exact symptoms, and diagnosis of these various
ailments, becoming "unclean" is the primary concern that all biblical sufferers of
leprosy share.' The common prejudice associated with this ailment was that it
renders the person unclean and this deprives the individual of an authentic human
relationship with the rest of the community. Leprosy in the Bible was a disease for which there was then no cure but
sometimes some people did recover from this disease.2 It was a disease which
caused fear and revulsion among the people.3 Leprosy was not always seen as
punishment, and lepers were not necessarily sinful people but before Jesus there was
no suggestion that lepers should be cared for.4 Instead, because they were considered
a danger to the community, they were banished until a priest certified that they were
cured of the leprous condition (cf. Lev 13:9f0.5 Lepers could not mix with other
members of society since this would result in pollution as this was the common
conception. Lepers suffered exclusion with all its effects.
In our time the prejudice against lepers may no longer prevail as it was
during the biblical period. The attitudes toward lepers might have changed in our
world today and the leprosy of our time is curable. By using the term leprosy our
time I do not mean to say that it is the same as the "leprosy" of biblical period but
we cannot also rule out the possibility that it was prevalent at that time.
In today's world there exists another form of "leprosy" which threatens the
lives of many people. It is feared by many, no cure has been discovered for it yet,
and its victims are to a large extent treated as social outcast. Many are prejudiced
about them and will not like to associate with them. HIV/AIDS and people living
with HIV/AIDS to some extent can be seen as the "leprosy" and lepers of our time
respectively. HIV/AIDS is a disease affecting many people in our world today regardless
of age, class, religion and even geography. There are many Christians in the Church
who are affected and afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Fr. Abraham Hailu a Comboni
missionary priest in his article published in the New People magazine challenges us
to see people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS as part of the body of Christ
undergoing suffering and in need of our attention.6 He calls on all Christians to
respond in the spirit of Evangelical charity. A response inspired and motivated by
the teachings of Christ in the Gospels.
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Keywords
Church's Response, Hiv/Aids, Biblical Leprosy