The editor, Prof. Jim Cochrane from the University of Cape Town and one of the authors, Dr Christoph Benn, director for Global Health Diplomacy at the Joep Lange Institute, offered new perspectives on the intersection of religion and health, with a focus on holistic approaches to wellbeing. The book brings together reflections from leading voices working at the nexus of public health and religious practice, aiming to challenge traditional narratives. The editors presented a provocative new vision, shifting the focus from isolated clinical outcomes to the broader "health of the whole" — encompassing communal, public, and planetary health. Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Public Witness and Diakonia, welcoming the audience, emphasized the significance of this publication: “The WCC and the ecumenical movement have benefitted from the wisdom, devotion, and contributions of the authors and editors of the book—both in the scientific analysis of the topic and in facilitating the dialogue and cross-fertilisation between the academic community and the community of faith.” Cochrane reflected on the inseparable connection between health and faith in Southern African communities. He explained, “When we asked people in Lesotho what they understood by religion and health, they said, ‘We can’t separate them; they are one thing.’ Health and faith are bound up not only with the individual and the family, but also with the land, the community, and the ancestors who came before us. If you hurt one part of it, you hurt all of it.” Gracia Violeta Ross, WCC programme executive for HIV, Reproductive Health, and Pandemics, expressed her appreciation for the book’s innovative approach. “From the point of view of someone living with a virus, it is refreshing to have theologians, academics, and practitioners challenge the traditional biomedical focus. This book portrays health in connection with the self, each other, the community, and the planet. I love how they shifted the focus from ‘health for all’ to ‘health of the whole,’” she said. Benn spoke about the crucial role of religious communities in global health initiatives, noting their influence on local and global health responses: “The question is, how can we better coordinate the potential of the faith community with the international level?” He said: “In this context, the World Council of Churches plays a key role, with a dedicated team focusing on these issues, a strong link to the World Health Organisation and others, and the newly established WCC Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing.” Link to the publisher's website | 
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