Should Christians Practice Herbalism?

Should Christians practice Herbalism? I believe the answer is a resounding YES! Many believe that herbalism is “new age” and therefore has no place in a Christian’s life. It’s true, it is difficult to find herbal resources without New Age or Wiccan beliefs to accompany the knowledge. However, I would like to present the following points in defense of Christian herbalism:

What is Herbalism?

Before we jump to say we shouldn’t do something, we should know what it is, right? Simply put, herbalism, or herbal medicine, is the practice of using herbs (roots, leaves, flowers, berries and mushrooms) to support our bodies natural system of health. There are several schools of thought when it comes to herbal medicine, as well as ancient traditions of healing from many cultures.

Herbs are the oldest medicine on Earth

It is written in Genesis:

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 

Then, after He created Man:

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 

God created every type of plant on Earth; every green herb and tree. That means that He created them to have the medicinal qualities they contain. In stands to reason then that He intended those plants to be used as medicine.

Biblical Medicine

While not specifically mentioned in Scripture often, some specific mentions of herbal remedies in the Scriptures include: poultices to heal boils (Isaiah), balms for sores (Jeremiah) and mandrakes to boost fertility (Genesis).

After being freed from the Egyptians, the nation of Israel complained to Moses and God that they no longer had the foods they were accustomed to:

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost–also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. Numbers 11:5

Modern science has shown the foods mentioned here, especially onions, garlic and fish, are extremely healthy foods to eat. They are full of antioxidants and are very good for heart health. In fact, many of the herbs we use in our kitchens (think basil, cilantro and paprika) have medicinal qualities beyond the flavor they add to our dishes!

Herbalism is the “Whole Foods Version” of Western Medicine

Many of the medicines available today through Western Medicine are isolated compounds taken from herbs. Case in point, aspirin is formulated from willow bark. Consuming the herbs themselves through teas, tinctures or capsules is just less processed.

Most of us already practice herbalism in it’s simplest form

If you have ever made a cup of chamomile tea to help yourself fall asleep at night or reached for echinacea when you feel a cold coming on: congratulations, you are practicing herbalism in it’s absolute simplest form.

Where can I learn more about Herbal Medicine?

If you would like to learn more about herbal medicine and how to use it, you’re in luck. There are loads of resources you can find, even at your local library. If you want to learn even more, I recommend The Herbal Academy. They have a full blown 3 level herbalism course and many mini courses for specific topics. I myself have taken the Introductory Herbalism course and will be starting the Intermediate course in the near future. If you are just wanting to start small, try the Making Herbal Preparations 101 Mini Course.

I will also be sharing more about herbal medicine here on the blog, so make sure you subscribe if you’d like to learn more from me!

Ultimately, our Hope is not in our Medicines

Whether we choose to boost our health through herbalism and nutrition or we rely entirely on the Western medical system, as Christians our hope is not in our medicines. Ultimately, we recognize that God has the ultimate authority over our health. However, I don’t believe that we should be complacent in our healthcare. This is why we eat healthily and exercise. We go to the doctor when we’re sick. We pray and ask God to give the doctors wisdom to locate the cause of the problems.

So. Should Christians practice herbalism? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Until next time,

Ariel