A recent Newsweek article noted that since 2000 there have been over 6,000 studies regarding healing and spirituality. Studies have examined if there are correlations between the rate of healing, quality of health and religious life. While not all the studies are conclusive there is evidence that prayer and faith does impact recovery and health. The medical community is coming to recognize the value of religious life in the healing process.
People who attend religious services on a regular basis live three to five years longer. Those who have faith seem to recover quicker from illnesses than those who do not.
Evangelicals hold that intercessory prayer works, and several studies show that it does work but with an important caveat. Those who are ill recover quicker with intercessory prayer when they that others are praying for them and the recipients of the prayer have some level of faith. If the person is unaware that there is intercessory prayer taking place, there is no affect.
Before Christians get excited by this news there is another factor we must take into account. The same dynamics happen regardless of the person’s religious tradition. If a person is Jewish, or Hindu, or Muslim, or an animist, as long as they believe that there is some power beyond themselves, that there is a hope of healing, recovery takes place at a more rapid rate.
Reflective Wanderings - Reflections on various topics that arise out of my personal, life and professional experiences. There are also are some family related news, travels and pictures.
3 comments:
Interesting study. I'm not surprised by the results ... including that it doesn't matter what Faith the indivudual professes.
Faith, a positive attitude are tied together with the physical. It demonstrates again about the power the role of prayer with faith can make in leading to healing or to a more vigorous state of mental and physical health.
Thank you for sharing this. Wow! 6000 studies? Wish I had heard of more of the results! Are you on Twitter or Facebook? I would love to keep up with you! I am the founder of Rest Ministries, www.restministries.org which serves the chronically ill.
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