Der Pfarrer im Don Quijote und die Pastoralmedizin

While medicine is responsible for the body, theology is concerned with the soul For Aristotle, Plato, Suárez, Vives and Sabuco, the soul is the cause of the body and its health Therefore, in Don Quixote, who suffers from a mental illness, the efforts of the barbero and the doctors related to the body seem ridiculous In contrast, the cura, i e the pastor, with his attempts at healing, appears to be the better doctor, especially when he also creates a healing social environment as a peacemaker, practical helper and encourager In this way, he corresponds to biblical,church-historical and contemporary ideas After all, pastoral medicine stands in the tradition of medicina clericalis and the idea of a Christus medicus, which was opposed to the ancient cult of Asclepius