Paul Tournier

His father died when he was three, and his mom died at the tender age of six. Paul Tournier (1898-1986) withdrew into himself, becoming lonely, shy and unwanted. What turned it around for him were three significant people in his life. The first was a high school teacher who shared intellectual conversations with him and encouraged him to take a leadership role among his peers. The second was a Dutch diplomat who introduced him to the practice of Scripture meditation and prayer. The third was his wife, Nelly, who showed him unconditional love. His medical patients observed that this aloof, impersonal doctor was becoming warm and understanding. Paul was one of the early pioneers of holistic medicine. We are more than our bodies; we are embodied souls. Instead of just treating people’s physical ailments, he started addressing the deeper needs of the whole person.
I first became acquainted with this Swiss medical doctor through his book, Guilt and Grace, and his helpful distinction between true and false guilt. False guilt is self-imposed, the feelings of guilt even though we have done nothing wrong. True guilt violates moral absolutes and becomes “our friend because it leads us to the experience of God’s grace.” While we can try to repress guilt or project it onto others, Paul urges readers to confess it so God can set us free. In his book on guilt and grace, he follows a meditation on Scripture with the suggested application: