Navigation Links
The power of prayer?
Date:6/17/2009

Waltham, Mass.Health and religion have always been intertwined, most obviously through prayer on behalf of the sick. Does intercessory prayer for sick people actually help heal them? For thousands of years some people have believed so. But new Brandeis University research in the Journal of Religion this month shows that over the last four decades, medical studies of intercessory prayerthe prayer of strangers at a distanceactually say more about the scientists conducting the studies than about the power of prayer to heal.

Intercessory prayer has been the subject of scientific study since at least the nineteenth century, when an English scientist, assuming that kings were prayed for more often than others, sought to find out whether those prayers were answered. He concluded that they were not, but that prayer might be a comfort to the people praying anyway.

After talking with physicians who wondered about the power of prayer to heal patients, Brandeis sociologist Wendy Cadge, an expert on the intersection of religion and medicine in contemporary American society, set out to research medical studies of intercessory prayer going back to 1965, the first year such studies were published in the English language medical literature.

"This analysis in the Journal of Religion is the first to trace the social history of intercessory prayer studies and to situate them in their medical and religious contexts," said Cadge, who this year is the Suzanne Young Murray Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. While there she is working on her forthcoming book, Paging God: Religion in the Halls of Medicine.

Cadge evaluated eighteen published studies on intercessory prayer that were conducted between 1965 and 2006. Collectively, the studies provide a fascinating snapshot of changing American religious demographics, evolving ideas about the relationship between religion and medical science, and the
'/>"/>

Contact: Laura Gardner
gardner@brandeis.edu
781-736-4204
Brandeis University
Source:Eurekalert

1

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Lake Elsinore Family Caregiver Receives Free Power Wheelchair From The SCOOTER Store
2. Mindray Selects Actel Low-Power Flash FPGAs for Demanding Medical Equipment Applications
3. China Holdings Appoints Ronald Shon Chairman of Advisory Board to Its Wholly-Owned Subsidiary China Power, Inc.
4. PowerBar Issues Open Call for 2008-2009 PowerBar Team Elite(TM) Athlete Sponsorship Program
5. Harness the Power of Grains With Barley
6. Health Knowledge Empowers the Public
7. J.D. Power and Associates Reports: CIGNA HealthCare Recognized for Call Center Customer Satisfaction Excellence For a Second Consecutive Year
8. J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Hackensack University Medical Center Recognized as First Hospital to Achieve Distinction for Providing an Outstanding Inpatient Experience in All Four Service Areas
9. Empowerment Program Gets Patients on the PATH to Managing the Physical and Emotional Effects of Psoriatic Arthritis
10. More than 10,000 Medicare Patients in Montana Could Be Hit by Proposed Cuts to Home Oxygen Therapy; Access to Power Wheelchairs Would Also Decrease
11. Project Tsunami Report Proves the Power of Bicycles
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/16/2009)... widely used human embryonic stem cell lines lack genetic ... must be addressed to ensure that all sectors of ... University of Michigan research team. ,, In the first ... 47 embryonic stem cell lines, including most of the ... determined the genetic ancestry of each line and found ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Dec. 16 HealthSciences Institute will ... care professionals, teams and organizations who serve ... chronic diseases in employer, health plan, medical ... collaborative will offer free, noncommercial webinars on ... disease prevention, management and care improvement. Each ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Scientists pinpoint seven that increase susceptibility to disease ... genes associated with increased susceptibility to leprosy have ... , The researchers, who analyzed more than 10,000 ... in China, said their discovery highlights the important ... the development of leprosy. , "Though leprosy is ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Research teams led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute ... , All cancers are caused by mutations in the ... person,s lifetime. The studies, of a malignant melanoma and ... all the mutations in the genomes of two cancers. ... each year: almost all are associated with smoking. The ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Florida researchers at work on a malaria elimination study ... spread of the disease using cell phone records. , ... determine how often residents of Zanzibar travel and where ... off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa, Zanzibar ... commissioned the study as part of deliberations on whether ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:U-M Study Reveals Surprising Lack of Genetic Diversity in the Most Widely Used Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines 2Health News:U-M Study Reveals Surprising Lack of Genetic Diversity in the Most Widely Used Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines 3Health News:U-M Study Reveals Surprising Lack of Genetic Diversity in the Most Widely Used Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines 4Health News:U-M Study Reveals Surprising Lack of Genetic Diversity in the Most Widely Used Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines 5Health News:New Learning Collaborative to Prepare Clinicians for Better Chronic Care 2Health News:New Learning Collaborative to Prepare Clinicians for Better Chronic Care 3Health News:Leprosy Genes Identified 2Health News:Lung cancer and melanoma laid bare 2Health News:Lung cancer and melanoma laid bare 3Health News:Lung cancer and melanoma laid bare 4Health News:Lung cancer and melanoma laid bare 5Health News:Lung cancer and melanoma laid bare 6Health News:Scientists use cell phone records to predict spread of malaria 2Health News:Scientists use cell phone records to predict spread of malaria 3
... Physical therapy is a cost-effective form of ... Oct. 31 Patients with,diabetes who participate ... resistance exercise demonstrate improvements in glucose control,physical ... a study,published in the November 2008 issue ...
... dedicated to providing information and support for patients, families, and ... spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and amputation. , ... ... 2008 -- Catstrophicinjury.com is a new premier one-stop ...
... Aurora Visiting Nurse,Association honored donors, caregivers and friends ... home health and hospice agency,s annual,meeting., (Photo: ... was recognized as corporate friend of,the year for ... "The relationship between Aurora VNA and Children,s Hospital ...
... coumarin, which is related to ingredient in blood thinners ... "vanilla" is often made with a toxic substance called ... Food and Drug Administration warned this week. , ... some blood thinners. Eating foods with coumarin may be ...
... Oct. 31 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan ... bomb threat,received this morning., The closings affect Blue ... and Bricktown Customer Service Center,buildings. The company,s office building ... employees who work in the impacted facilities are,being sent ...
... WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 The National Coalition,for ... the McCain-Palin,campaign for ridiculing the legal rights ... campaign representative Senator Kit Bond,(R-MO), joining Vice ... in Rush,Limbaugh,s hometown of Cape Girardeau, mocking ...
Other Medicine News:Health News:New Research Shows That Combining Aerobic Exercise With High-Force Eccentric Resistance Training Improves Glucose Control in Diabetes Patients 2Health News:New Research Shows That Combining Aerobic Exercise With High-Force Eccentric Resistance Training Improves Glucose Control in Diabetes Patients 3Health News:New Online Support Site Offers Hope, Information, and Help for Patients Who Have Suffered a Catastrophic Injury 2Health News:Aurora Visiting Nurse Association of Wisconsin Honors Supporters, Volunteers 2Health News:Disability Rights Organizations Express Outrage Over Attacks at McCain-Palin Rally 2
(Date:12/16/2009)... NEW YORK, December 16 ... the publication of GFT505 (80 mg/day),data ... 50 internationally,recognized expert scientists and clinicians ... the continuing role of generic lipid-modifying,treatments, ... which is commonly observed in patients ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... 16 Verathon®, maker of BladderScan® ... that portable bladder volume ultrasound is now ... for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract ... introduced in early November 2009, replace the ... The guidelines are located on the ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Dec. 16 Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc. ... health record (EHR), practice management and interoperability solution, ... KLAS" awards in the annual 2009 Top ... Professional Services report. ,, For practices having ... Chart was named Best in KLAS in ambulatory ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:International, Well-Known Scientific Experts Say That New GFT505 Data Unlikely to Have the Potential to Affect the Established Role of Generic Fenofibrate and Bezafibrate in Managing Atherogenic Dyslipidemia 2International, Well-Known Scientific Experts Say That New GFT505 Data Unlikely to Have the Potential to Affect the Established Role of Generic Fenofibrate and Bezafibrate in Managing Atherogenic Dyslipidemia 3New 2009 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Include Bladder Volume Ultrasound 2New 2009 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Include Bladder Volume Ultrasound 3New 2009 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Include Bladder Volume Ultrasound 4New 2009 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Include Bladder Volume Ultrasound 5Greenway Medical Technologies' PrimeSuite Wins Three Best in KLAS Awards 2Greenway Medical Technologies' PrimeSuite Wins Three Best in KLAS Awards 3Greenway Medical Technologies' PrimeSuite Wins Three Best in KLAS Awards 4Philips Helps Hospitals Strike Balance Between Innovation and Value 6553 1Philips Helps Hospitals Strike Balance Between Innovation and Value 6553 2Philips Helps Hospitals Strike Balance Between Innovation and Value 6553 3Philips Helps Hospitals Strike Balance Between Innovation and Value 6553 4STALLERGENES is Granted a Marketing Authorization for Oralair 28R 29 in Europe 14985 1STALLERGENES is Granted a Marketing Authorization for Oralair 28R 29 in Europe 14985 2STALLERGENES is Granted a Marketing Authorization for Oralair 28R 29 in Europe 14985 3Clemente 26apos 3Bs Anatomy Rohen 26apos 3Bs Photographic Anatomy and Moore 26apos 3Bs Clinical Anatomy Customizable Apps Now Available on App Store 62182 1Clemente 26apos 3Bs Anatomy Rohen 26apos 3Bs Photographic Anatomy and Moore 26apos 3Bs Clinical Anatomy Customizable Apps Now Available on App Store 62182 2Clemente 26apos 3Bs Anatomy Rohen 26apos 3Bs Photographic Anatomy and Moore 26apos 3Bs Clinical Anatomy Customizable Apps Now Available on App Store 62182 3Clemente 26apos 3Bs Anatomy Rohen 26apos 3Bs Photographic Anatomy and Moore 26apos 3Bs Clinical Anatomy Customizable Apps Now Available on App Store 62182 4Clemente 26apos 3Bs Anatomy Rohen 26apos 3Bs Photographic Anatomy and Moore 26apos 3Bs Clinical Anatomy Customizable Apps Now Available on App Store 62182 5
... April 27 Facet Solutions, Inc. today announced that ... in the United States. The ACADIA(TM) Facet Replacement Pivotal ... the second generation design technology from Facet Solutions, Inc. ... and at the same time restore anatomic motion and ...
... Combination of R7227, protease inhibitor, and R7128, nucleoside polymerase ... patients with hepatitis C -NUTLEY, N.J., BRISBANE, Calif., ... (Nasdaq: ITMN ) and Pharmasset (Nasdaq: ... their innovative, interferon-free regimen of direct acting antiviral (DAA) ...
Other Medicine Technology:Facet Solutions, Inc. Expands U.S. Pivotal Study With Next Generation Implant System 2Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 2Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 3Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 4Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 5Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 6Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 7Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 8Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 9Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 10Ground-Breaking Combination of All-Oral Agents Demonstrates Potential as Hepatitis C Treatment Regimen 11
Lightweight & portable, compact station. Accurate and speedy measurement, auto-shot function, AI measuring function, focusing indicator....
Non-dissolvable Herrick Lacrimal Plugs provide long-term lacrimal occlusion through partial blockage of the horizontal canaliculus....
Provides quick freezing and quick defrosting. Lightweight probe tips have high conductivity silver. Useful for Cataract, Retinal Detachment, Glaucoma and Intra-vitreal surgery. Includes either one ca...
Khosla Precision and Quality in Medical and Surgical Products....
Medicine Products: