Healing Wounds

In Healing Wounds, Fr Erik Varden examines the New Testament's account of Christ's wounds and their efficacy for human healing. While acknowledging this theological perspective as fundamental, Varden argues it often fails to address the emotional and spiritual needs of believers. Varden engages with the tension between different views on suffering: Bob Dylan's observation that pain brings out the best in people, and philosopher Donald MacKinnon's claim that suffering never ennobles anyone. He addresses the questions about suffering that people today explore with counsellors, therapists, philosophers, and spiritual directors. Structured as a reflective journey, the book begins with the reality of suffering and moves toward redemption and renewal. Varden uses a contemplative approach, inviting readers to examine their own experiences of pain and consider how faith and introspection might transform them.