“Mens sana in corpore sano”: uma hermenêutica paulina sobre saúde integral a partir de 1Tessalonissenses 5,23.

Abstract

The urgent and growing need to promote the integral development of individuals is a crucial aspect of human well-being in an increasingly complex and challenging world. A misguided understanding of spirituality can lead to deep and lasting harm to one’s spiritual, emotional, and physical health. In many cases, distorted interpretations of spirituality may foster behaviors that neglect the basic needs of the human being or even provoke feelings of guilt or inadequacy. This study focuses on the analysis of the phrase “mens sana in corpore sano” through a Pauline hermeneutic of holistic health, based on 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The biblical text is explored as a unique opportunity to articulate a religious perspective on health that not only complements but also challenges secular paradigms, reaffirming the relevance of faith to practical life matters. A brief historical analysis of dualism—originating in Greek philosophy, which separates body and mind or soul—is presented, highlighting its influence on the religious and philosophical traditions of western christianity. By engaging with the academic field of Religious Studies, the work pursues an ethically and morally grounded vision of “mens sana in corpore sano”. Throughout this study, the importance of holistic health is emphasized—not merely as physical well-being, but as a state of balance among spiritual, emotional, and bodily dimensions. Within this perspective, spirituality cannot be dissociated from concrete human experience, as it influences our emotions, relationships, and even our physical health. The study seeks to demonstrate how various religious and philosophical traditions recognize this interconnection and propose paths toward harmony between faith, reason, and the body, thereby contributing to a fuller and more meaningful life. The use of multiple methodologies historical, sociological, anthropological, phenomenological, among others enables the researcher to engage with the particularities of each religious context, acknowledging their complexity and avoiding simplistic reductions of each phenomenon. A sophisticated approach is required to study religion in its complex and multifaceted nature, highlighting the search for a “third way” that seeks to overcome traditional models of explaining religion. In this sense, Religious Studies emerges as a methodological approach that contributes to the integral well-being of each person.