Keith Bailey has written a book here to effectively clarify and present in an organized fashion the position of healing espoused by the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
This was necessary for 2 reasons.
First, there was not really a systematic theology in this area present for the C&MA prior to this. George Pardington had some writing in this area but it was deemed not entirely sufficient.
Secondly, the C&MA has departed, if not in spirit from the earlier teachings and practices in this arena from the founder A.B. Simpson, then certainly from the emphasis of the earlier days. Therefore a statement was needed that more closely approximated the current practices. In the 30′s there was an exodus of about 1/4 of the membership and Churches from the C&MA over to the Assemblies of God. That history generated a recoil from those practices and teachings within the C&MA that smacked of the Charismatic. The Alliance does not disavow these teachings from the earlier days, but in practice they effectively de-emphasize them and so a different work was needed to provide a platform more in keeping with what the C&MA has morphed into since the 1930′s. With the establishment in the 1970′s as a formal denomination a book was needed to explain the current practice. This was what come out.
An enlightening and helpful work. It is usually used by Districts of the C&MA in the ordination process. It is valuable as well to elders with C&MA churches and reads well and is of value to the general Christian community.
To see where the Alliance moved from, read and compare with “The Gospel of Healing” by the founder A.B. Simpson. You’ll see a much stronger healing message there and have a better flavor for what the C&MA used to be.
