Martin Israel
Encyclopedia
Martin Israel was an English pathologist, Anglican priest, spiritual director, and author of numerous books on Christian life and teaching.
, South Africa, to a liberal Jewish family; his father was an ophthalmic surgeon. He learnt about Christianity from the family’s black African servants and was deeply impressed by the image of Jesus on the cross which somehow convinced him that his life’s work would, in some way, be about reconciliation. As a child he was a loner with a natural tendency towards introversion and mystical experience.
An outstanding scholar, he was educated first at Parktown Boys' High School
, Johannesburg, then went on to study Medicine at the University of Witwatersrand, where he was awarded a first class honours degree. In 1951 he travelled to England to do postgraduate research, becoming first a doctor at Hammersmith Hospital
, London, and then a pathology registrar at the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton. After doing compulsory National Service
in the Royal Army Medical Corps
, he became Lecturer in Pathology
at the Royal College of Surgeons
, London, being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1968. He went on to become the co-author of a standard textbook in Pathology.
However, he was very shy and suffered for many years from depression which he eventually overcame with the help of psychotherapy. He was drawn to various mystical traditions and the works of people like Carl Jung
, Teilhard de Chardin and Martin Buber
, discovering that he possessed considerable psychic sensitivity and had the gift of healing
. He entered the Anglican ministry in 1974, eventually becoming the priest at Holy Trinity church, in 1983 - a post he held until 1996.
Later in life he suffered from Parkinson's disease
.
s and was president of both the Guild of Health (1983–1990) and the Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies (1983–1998). He claimed to have regular contact with spirits of the dead (mediumship
) and believed in the possibility of reincarnation
. He became widely known as the author of many books dealing with spiritual issues from a mystical Christian perspective.
Life
Martin Spencer Israel was born in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa, to a liberal Jewish family; his father was an ophthalmic surgeon. He learnt about Christianity from the family’s black African servants and was deeply impressed by the image of Jesus on the cross which somehow convinced him that his life’s work would, in some way, be about reconciliation. As a child he was a loner with a natural tendency towards introversion and mystical experience.
An outstanding scholar, he was educated first at Parktown Boys' High School
Parktown Boys' High School
Parktown Boys' High School is a public high school for boys in Parktown, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Parktown Boys' is well known for its emphasis on holistic education and in 2009 was rated as one of the top performing state schools in South Africa, and in the top ten schools in...
, Johannesburg, then went on to study Medicine at the University of Witwatersrand, where he was awarded a first class honours degree. In 1951 he travelled to England to do postgraduate research, becoming first a doctor at Hammersmith Hospital
Hammersmith Hospital
Hammersmith Hospital is a major teaching hospital in West London. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and is associated with the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine...
, London, and then a pathology registrar at the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton. After doing compulsory National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
, he became Lecturer in Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, London, being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1968. He went on to become the co-author of a standard textbook in Pathology.
However, he was very shy and suffered for many years from depression which he eventually overcame with the help of psychotherapy. He was drawn to various mystical traditions and the works of people like Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
, Teilhard de Chardin and Martin Buber
Martin Buber
Martin Buber was an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of religious existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship....
, discovering that he possessed considerable psychic sensitivity and had the gift of healing
Laying on of hands
The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms....
. He entered the Anglican ministry in 1974, eventually becoming the priest at Holy Trinity church, in 1983 - a post he held until 1996.
Later in life he suffered from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
Spiritual ministry
In his capacity as an Anglican priest he was a lecturer, personal counsellor and organiser of religious retreats. He also exercised a “healing ministry”, conducted church exorcismExorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
s and was president of both the Guild of Health (1983–1990) and the Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies (1983–1998). He claimed to have regular contact with spirits of the dead (mediumship
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
) and believed in the possibility of reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
. He became widely known as the author of many books dealing with spiritual issues from a mystical Christian perspective.
Books by Martin Israel
- The Pain That Heals (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002).
- Precarious Living: The Path to Life’’ (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000).
- Summons to Life (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000).
- Happiness That Lasts (Continuum International Publishing Group,1999).
- Doubt: The Way of Growth (Continuum International Publishing Group, 1997).
- Exorcism (SPCK, 1997).
- Angels: Messengers of Grace (SPCK, 1995).
- Dark Victory (Mowbray 1995).
- Life Eternal (SPCK, 1993).
- Night Thoughts (SPCK, 1990).
- The Quest of Wholeness (Darton, 1989).
- Creation: The Consummation of the World (Zondervan, 1989).
- The Spirit of Counsel (Continuum International Publishing, 1987).
- Gethsemane: The transfiguring love - Lent Book (Fount, 1987).
- Coming in Glory (Darton,Longman & Todd, 1986).
- Healing As Sacrament (Cowley Publications, 1985).
- Smouldering Fire: The work of the Holy Spirit (Continuum International Publishing, 1984).
- Living Alone: Inward Journey to Fellowship (SPCK, 1982).
- Approach to Spirituality (Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical & Spiritual Studies, 1971)
External links
- Martin Israel (official website with many e-books available for free download).