In this episode Gillian talks with Revd. Elizabeth Baxter about the healing that is experienced at Holy Rood House, Thirsk. Elizabeth is the executive director of Holy Rood House, a centre for health and pastoral care. Elizabeth is an ordained priest in the Church of England, a spiritual director, theologian and coordinates the Centre for the Study of Theology and Health. In 2018 she received the Langdon Award for Community Service by the Archbishop of Cantebury in recognition of her many years of work in Holy Rood House.
- Gillian and Elizabeth remember together the immense influence in the healing ministry of Stanley Baxter, Elizabeth’s late husband.
- Elizabeth describes how she came to be director of Holyrood House and involved in the healing ministry in Thirsk.
- Healing ministry active in this area due to the influence of Bishop Morris Maddox and Juliet Ramsden.
- Elizabeth describes the work they did before in Leeds and their understanding of healing as a justice issue and that Jesus as healer and teacher always went together.
- The setting up of the North of England Christian Healing Trust and Spenethorn home of healing.
- The Sisters of the Holyrood - an Anglican order of sisters who set up the first cottage hospital in Britain.
- Healing includes a healing community of hospitality - finding home as a theology.
- Their original publicity for Holy Rood house included the World Council of Churches phrase - ‘justice and peace and the integrity of creation.’
- Understanding of healing that was much bigger than people and always to do with justice.
- Immediately became members of the British association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Active in the campaign for ordination of women priests - the story of the Holy Rood House itself modelled the equality of women and men ministering together.
- They put an emphasis on being ecumenical.
- Elizabeth outlines the understanding of healing at Holy Rood House and what happens there in practice.
- Elizabeth shares some of the stories of how and why people come to Holy Rood House.
- She describes the detailed discernment process of how to help people.
- Everyone is welcome but it is not completely unconditional - they never say no to anyone.
- Elizabeth describe the Christian Healing process and how it happens at Holy Rood House, drawing on ideas of breathing, embodiment and incarnation.
- Healing includes justice and is a process experienced in community.
- Elizabeth shares her own experience of emotional healing as discerned through her body.
- She describes how Holy Rood House provides a safe space so people can go to the unsafe spaces in their lives - Holy Rood House helps people get unstuck from Easter Saturday.
- Elizabeth describes how people are already healers - there is a mutuality in the process.
- Prophetic witness is part of healing.
