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'''Faith healing''' is the use of ] or ] intervention to cure ]. Proponents claim their techniques or special spiritual insights can summon supernatural interventions on behalf of the ill. '''Faith healing''' is the use of ] or ] intervention to cure ]. Proponents claim their techniques or special spiritual insights can summon supernatural interventions on behalf of the ill.


Critics, such as professional magician ], say faith healing is a ] practice in which the "healers" use well known non-supernatural illusions to exploit credulous people in order to obtain their gratitude, confidence and money.<ref name="Randi">{{cite book| last = Randi | first = James | authorlink = James Randi | year = 1989 | title = ] | publisher = Prometheus Books | id = ISBN 0-87975-535-0 page 10}}</ref> Faith healing is sometimes accompanied by the rejection of modern ] techniques. Critics, such as professional magician ], say faith healing is a ] practice in which the "healers" use well known non-supernatural illusions to exploit credulous people in order to obtain their gratitude, confidence and money.<ref name="Randi">{{cite book| last = Randi | first = James | authorlink = James Randi | year = 1989 | title = ] | publisher = Prometheus Books | id = ISBN 0-87975-535-0 page 10}}</ref>

===Background=== ===Background===
The term is sometimes used in reference to the belief of some ] who hold that ] heals people through the power of the ], often involving the "]". Those who hold to this belief do not usually use the term "faith healing" in reference to the practice; that expression is often used descriptively by commentators outside of the faith movement in reference to the belief and practice.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} The term is sometimes used in reference to the belief of some ] who hold that ] heals people through the power of the ], often involving the "]".


In the four ]s in the ], ] both performs healings through divine power and indirectly acknowledges the role of the doctor, for example in saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (). Jesus endorsed the use of the medical assistance of the time (medicines of oil and wine) when he praised the fictitious Good Samaritan for acting as a physician, telling his disciples to go and do the same thing that the Samaritan did in the story.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thefaithfulword.org/faithhealing.html | title=Faith Healing -- God’s Compassion, God’s Power, and God’s Sovereignty: Is a Christian permitted to seek medical assistance and to use medicine? In the four ]s in the ], ] both performs healings through divine power and indirectly acknowledges the role of the doctor, for example in saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (). Jesus endorsed the use of the medical assistance of the time (medicines of oil and wine) when he praised the fictitious Good Samaritan for acting as a physician, telling his disciples to go and do the same thing that the Samaritan did in the story.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thefaithfulword.org/faithhealing.html | title=Faith Healing -- God’s Compassion, God’s Power, and God’s Sovereignty: Is a Christian permitted to seek medical assistance and to use medicine?
| date= December 2003 | first=Craig | last=Booth | accessdate =2007-05-01}}</ref> The healing in the gospels is referred to as a sign () to prove his divinity and to foster belief in himself as the Christ (). However, when asked for miracles, Jesus refused (). | date= December 2003 | first=Craig | last=Booth | accessdate =2007-05-01}}</ref> The healing in the gospels is referred to as a sign () to prove his divinity and to foster belief in himself as the Christ (). However, when asked for miracles, Jesus refused ().

It is commonly held that whatever can be performed on demand as an ordinary event can no longer be viewed as miraculous, for by its consistent and repeatable nature it becomes an expected facet of natural science. . Faith healing is not often considered a system of healthcare, but a sign of divine visitation.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}


==Faith healing in various belief systems== ==Faith healing in various belief systems==
===New Thought Movement=== ===New Thought Movement===


A different form of Faith healing (Mental healing) is an important aspect of The ]. Denominations that have emerged in ] - ], ], ]. In this belief system man's true nature is divine (The Christ consciousness). ] and meditation aligns you with your true nature - Christ Mind - and you experience a mental and or a physical healing. You become the channel for God to move through you as you. Unlike other form of faith healing where the belief in Jesus and his divinity heals you. New Thought does not dispute Jesus's divinity but states we all have the spark of divine in each one of us and our ability to access it is what heals you. New Thought believes God is in everything and that includes medicine. One can use a more traditional medical approach along with Spiritual Mind Treatment (treatments can be simultaneous) It is the belief that you can be healed that heals you. The medicine has a placebo effect, so in essence, your belief in the medicine is what heals you.{{Fact|date=September}} A different form of Faith healing (Mental healing) is an important aspect of The ]. Denominations that have emerged in ] - ], ], ]. In this belief system man's true nature is divine (The Christ consciousness). ] and meditation aligns you with your true nature - Christ Mind - and you experience a mental and or a physical healing.{{Fact|date=September}} You become the channel for God to move through you as you. Unlike other form of faith healing where the belief in Jesus and his divinity heals you. New Thought does not dispute Jesus's divinity but states we all have the spark of divine in each one of us and our ability to access it is what heals you. New Thought believes God is in everything and that includes medicine. One can use a more traditional medical approach along with Spiritual Mind Treatment (treatments can be simultaneous) It is the belief that you can be healed that heals you. The medicine has a placebo effect, so in essence, your belief in the medicine is what heals you.{{fact}}


===Christian Science===


] advocates the use of prayer instead of medical treatment to treat illness.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

===Catholicism===

Faith healing is also reported by ] as the result of ] of a ] or a person with the gift of healing. An example of a person reported to have the gift of healing is ], a ] known as the "Miracle Man of Montreal". The Catholic Church requires one or two ]s for the ] of a saint, depending on the case. These are most often cases of faith healing reported as resulting from that person's intercession.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}


===Pentecostalism=== ===Pentecostalism===
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* Harrell, D.E., ''All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America'' (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1978) p25 * Harrell, D.E., ''All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America'' (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1978) p25
* Hollenweger, W. J., ''Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide'', (Hendrickson Publications, 1997) p229 * Hollenweger, W. J., ''Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide'', (Hendrickson Publications, 1997) p229
* Weaver, C.D., ''The Healer-Prophet: William Marrion Branham (A study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism)'' (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2000) p139</ref>. By the late 1940s ] was well known and continued with faith healing until the 1980s. A friend of Roberts was another popular faith healer, ], who gained fame in the 1950s and had a television program on ]. * Weaver, C.D., ''The Healer-Prophet: William Marrion Branham (A study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism)'' (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2000) p139</ref>.
Also in this era, ] and ] were faith healers with large a following, and travelled with large tents to hold mobile, open air crusades. In contrast ] in Akron, Ohio made his fame on television.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

Oral Robert's successful use of television as a medium to gain a wider audience led others to follow suit. For example, ] and ] became well-known ]s who claimed to heal the sick.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

LeRoy Jenkins was a well-known and financially-successful faith healer during the 1970s, his operation grossing $3 million a year. In 1979, Jenkins ran afoul of the law and was sentenced to 12 years in South Carolina state prison for a multitude of crimes, including conspiring to burn down the homes of both a state trooper and a creditor. Released from prison early after serving 5 1/2 years, he resumed his faith-healing business. His tarnished reputation never healed.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

], known for advertising his healing clinics through ] television and radio, claimed he could demonstrate and prove God's power to unbelievers through indisputable miracles.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}


Modern healing evangelists include ] and ], who based their work and model on Kuhlman. Hinn, like the others, was videotaped by hidden cameras and profiled on an episode of CBC's ] over allegations of fraudulent activity.<ref name="FifthEstate">{{cite news | last = McKeown | first = Bob | title = Do You Believe in Miracles? | work = The Fifth Estate | publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | date = 2004-12 | url = http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/main_miracles.html#bio | accessdate =2006-10-21}}</ref> Modern healing evangelists include ] and ], who based their work and model on Kuhlman. Hinn, like the others, was videotaped by hidden cameras and profiled on an episode of CBC's ] over allegations of fraudulent activity.<ref name="FifthEstate">{{cite news | last = McKeown | first = Bob | title = Do You Believe in Miracles? | work = The Fifth Estate | publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | date = 2004-12 | url = http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/main_miracles.html#bio | accessdate =2006-10-21}}</ref>


==Criticism==
==Medical issues and criticism==
Faith healing poses serious ethical problems when faith healers encourage ill people not to receive medical treatment from licensed doctors. Notably in the 1980s, ] encouraged people to throw away their medicine (such as insulin) during his "miracle crusade" when he asserted that he "healed" them.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}


The British Columbia Cancer Agency "strongly urges individuals who are ill not to seek treatment by psychic surgeon."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/UnconventionalTherapies/PsychicSurgery.htm | title=Unconventional therapies--Psychic surgery | publisher=British Columbia Cancer Agency | date= February 2000 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-04-01}}</ref> The British Columbia Cancer Agency "strongly urges individuals who are ill not to seek treatment by psychic surgeon."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/UnconventionalTherapies/PsychicSurgery.htm | title=Unconventional therapies--Psychic surgery | publisher=British Columbia Cancer Agency | date= February 2000 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-04-01}}</ref>

Another issue is when parents decline or refuse traditional medical care for their children. In some countries, parents argue that constitutional guarantees of religious freedom include the right to rely on alternative healing to the exclusion of medical care. Advocates of conventional medicine argue that studies have shown faith healing to be no more effective than a placebo, making it unethical to rely on, though advocates of spiritual healing argue there exist methodical and bias issues.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

Doctors as a rule consider it their duty to do everything that they can in the interests of the patient. In consequence, where they judge medical treatment necessary to save a child's life or health, and balancing the question with legal and privacy concerns, they may act contrary to the preference of a patient's parents. In ], a UK government ruling allowed a child to be treated by doctors against the parents' wishes.


] researched ] who claimed to heal sick people and give personal details about their lives. Randi exposed the fact that the voice of God was really radio transmissions of Popoff's wife, Elizabeth, off-stage reading information which she and her aides had gathered from earlier conversation with members of the audience.<ref name="Randi">{{cite book| last = Randi | first = James | authorlink = James Randi | year = 1989 | title = ] | publisher = Prometheus Books | id = ISBN 0-87975-535-0 page 141}}</ref> ] researched ] who claimed to heal sick people and give personal details about their lives. Randi exposed the fact that the voice of God was really radio transmissions of Popoff's wife, Elizabeth, off-stage reading information which she and her aides had gathered from earlier conversation with members of the audience.<ref name="Randi">{{cite book| last = Randi | first = James | authorlink = James Randi | year = 1989 | title = ] | publisher = Prometheus Books | id = ISBN 0-87975-535-0 page 141}}</ref>

Revision as of 03:33, 7 October 2007

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Faith healing is the use of supernatural or spiritual intervention to cure disease. Proponents claim their techniques or special spiritual insights can summon supernatural interventions on behalf of the ill.

Critics, such as professional magician James Randi, say faith healing is a quack practice in which the "healers" use well known non-supernatural illusions to exploit credulous people in order to obtain their gratitude, confidence and money.

Background

The term is sometimes used in reference to the belief of some Christians who hold that God heals people through the power of the Holy Spirit, often involving the "laying on of hands".

In the four gospels in the Christian Bible, Jesus both performs healings through divine power and indirectly acknowledges the role of the doctor, for example in saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Mark 2:17). Jesus endorsed the use of the medical assistance of the time (medicines of oil and wine) when he praised the fictitious Good Samaritan for acting as a physician, telling his disciples to go and do the same thing that the Samaritan did in the story. The healing in the gospels is referred to as a sign (John 6:2) to prove his divinity and to foster belief in himself as the Christ (John 4:48). However, when asked for miracles, Jesus refused (Mat 12:38).

Faith healing in various belief systems

New Thought Movement

A different form of Faith healing (Mental healing) is an important aspect of The New Thought Movement. Denominations that have emerged in New Thought - Religious Science, Divine Science, Unity. In this belief system man's true nature is divine (The Christ consciousness). Affirmative prayer and meditation aligns you with your true nature - Christ Mind - and you experience a mental and or a physical healing. You become the channel for God to move through you as you. Unlike other form of faith healing where the belief in Jesus and his divinity heals you. New Thought does not dispute Jesus's divinity but states we all have the spark of divine in each one of us and our ability to access it is what heals you. New Thought believes God is in everything and that includes medicine. One can use a more traditional medical approach along with Spiritual Mind Treatment (treatments can be simultaneous) It is the belief that you can be healed that heals you. The medicine has a placebo effect, so in essence, your belief in the medicine is what heals you.


Pentecostalism

In Pentecostalism during the 1920s and 1930s Aimee Semple McPherson was a controversial faith healer of growing popularity during the Great Depression. William Branham is usually credited as being the founder of the post World War II healing revivals. .

Modern healing evangelists include Benny Hinn and Peter Youngren, who based their work and model on Kuhlman. Hinn, like the others, was videotaped by hidden cameras and profiled on an episode of CBC's The Fifth Estate over allegations of fraudulent activity.

Criticism

The British Columbia Cancer Agency "strongly urges individuals who are ill not to seek treatment by psychic surgeon."

James Randi researched Peter Popoff who claimed to heal sick people and give personal details about their lives. Randi exposed the fact that the voice of God was really radio transmissions of Popoff's wife, Elizabeth, off-stage reading information which she and her aides had gathered from earlier conversation with members of the audience.

References

  1. ^ Randi, James (1989). The Faith Healers. Prometheus Books. ISBN 0-87975-535-0 page 10. Cite error: The named reference "Randi" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. Booth, Craig (December 2003). "Faith Healing -- God's Compassion, God's Power, and God's Sovereignty: Is a Christian permitted to seek medical assistance and to use medicine?". Retrieved 2007-05-01.
    • Dictionary of Christianity In America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990) p182.
    • Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1988) p372.
    • Anderson, A., An Introduction to Pentecostalism (Cambridge University Press, 2004) p58
    • Harrell, D.E., All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1978) p25
    • Hollenweger, W. J., Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide, (Hendrickson Publications, 1997) p229
    • Weaver, C.D., The Healer-Prophet: William Marrion Branham (A study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism) (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2000) p139
  4. McKeown, Bob (2004-12). "Do You Believe in Miracles?". The Fifth Estate. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2006-10-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. "Unconventional therapies--Psychic surgery". British Columbia Cancer Agency. February 2000. Retrieved 2007-04-01.

Bibliography

- Dr. Matthias Kamp, M.D.: Bruno Groening - A Revolution in Medicine. A medical documentation on spiritual healing. Grete Haeusler Publishing, 1998, (Chapters 1 - 4)

See also

External links

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