The Baptist Healing Trust is a religious (Christian

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

) non-profit foundation

Foundation (charity)

A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....

 in Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

, Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, created to provide healthcare services to the vulnerable in middle Tennessee. The Trust is required to use the majority of its investment income in support of the Baptist Hospital

Baptist Hospital

Baptist Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, United States and the largest such hospital in Middle Tennessee...

 mission until 2008. The remainder of the investment income is bestowed as grants

Grant (money)

Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...

 to charities in middle Tennessee which assist medically underserved populations. In addition, the Trust provides consulting services and support tools to selected hospitals nationwide.

Created in 2002 from a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the Baptist Hospital system to Ascension Health, the Trust is one of the major foundations in Tennessee, with grants awarded totalling more than $17 million over the last four years.

The Trust is committed to the practice of Erie Chapman's concept of radical loving care

Radical Loving Care

Radical Loving Care is a book by Erie Chapman. The book describes an approach to health care intended to create patient experiences in hospitals and charities that honor the vulnerability of people in need...

; their mission statement

Mission statement

A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...

 reads, "We are a caring ministry

Christian ministry

In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...

devoted to healing with love in the Christian tradition." In furtherance of their goals, their website states that grants are awarded to healthcare programs that advocate

• Caring with a servant’s heart
• Healing for the mind, body and spirit
• Loving with respect and without reservation
• Creating cultures of mindfulness, wisdom, justice and peace
• Supporting sacred work