Faith healing practices and religious belief systems

¶ … Apostle James Mean by

"…LET HIM CALL for the ELDERS of the CHURCH;

AND LET THEM PRAY OVER HIM, ANOINTING HIM WITH OIL

IN the NAME of the LORD…"

(JAMES 5:14), and WHAT ARE

THE IMPLICATIONS of THIS for OUR LIFE in the

CHURCH and in the

WORLD?

A DISSERATION SUBMITTED to the FACULTY of

RELIGION and

PHILOSOPHY in FULFILLMENT of the

REQUIREMENTS for the DEGREE of

BACHEHELOR of ARTS

WHAT DOES the APOSTLE JAMES MEAN by "…LET HIM CALL for the ELDERS of the CHURCH; and LET THEM PRAY OVER HIM, ANOINTING HIM WITH OIL

IN the NAME of the LORD…" (JAMES 5:14), and WHAT ARE the IMPLICATIONS of THIS for OUR LIFE in the CHURCH and in the WORLD?

Aim of the Dissertation

The aim of this study was to answer what is meant by "faith healing" via the will of God and how to apply this to the present context.

Background

In the Jewish and Christian traditions prayers for cures and miracles are usual; thus the apostles developed a ritual of healing. -- James 5.14 -- 16

When the topic of faith was originally selected, it remained unclear what path would be followed to achieve the above-stated research aim. In an exploratory fashion, the Columbia Encyclopedia was consulted and this author was immediately captivated by two words, "Faith Healing" and its implication according to Scripture. In this regard, James 5:14 -- 16 clearly states that "the prayer of faith shall save the sick." There is no equivocation in this passage and it is little wonder that so many adherents have seized upon these words in support of their faith healing preferences. Upon reading Margaret Polomas' Journal Article, "A Comparison of Christian Science and Mainline Christian Healing Ideology and Practices," this author became interested in the dissimilarities between the mainline Christian philosophy of faith healing, and Christian Scientist perception of faith healing, according to the will of God. While reading Rita Swan's essay, "When Faith Fails Children," my eyes were opened to the reality of Christian Science conviction and their lack of knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Word of God as it applies to the use of faith healing practices in general and for young children in particular. Their apparent ignorance, relevant to the will of God, when committing manslaughter in the name of Jesus Christ, defies the very nature of God. After reading Larry Mays' journal article, "Challenging Medical Authority: The Refusal of Treatment by Christian Scientists," it was corroborated in my mind the theory that Christian Science is not a form of Christianity because they have taken the Word of God, His Will and redesigned Scripture to their own will. The Christian Science perspective on spiritual healing has left them facing a whirlwind of tension and controversy not only within the secular world, but also within the world of Christianity. This is, after all, the 21st century.

Statement of the Problem

The general problem to be considered by the proposed study concerns the dogma of Christian Science as it relates to faith healing. Christian Scientists have alleged that all aspects of their theology is distinctively Christian, established upon the Scriptures and is continuous with Biblical revelation. Part of the purpose of this dissertation is to nullify their position as Believers. According to Scripture, faith is people acting in accordance with God's known purpose. Their misunderstanding of Biblical revelation has led the Christian Scientist to misconstrue the true meaning of "Faith Healing" as instructed in James 5: 14 -- 16. Should Christian Scientists be allowed to martyr their children for their religious beliefs? Do mainstream Christians have a responsibility to intervene against senseless suffering and death of Christian Science children in instances when it could have been avoided? Can the world look the other way and not place boundaries and limitations on 'religious freedom' when it endangers the lives of children who are not free to make life altering choices of their own? Therefore, the specific problem that the study addressed is the heresy of Christian Science that has caused death, suffering and possibly marred the faith of some believers by revealing the Truth of "Faith Healing" according to Scripture, the Word and Will of God and what is expected of mainstream Christians and the world to protect His children.

Method

Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. -- James 5-14

In understand the meaning of "Faith Healing" in James 14 -- 15, this study relied primarily on a theological-critical approach, and as needed, also made use of certain rhetorical critical tools. To this end, a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning the effectiveness of prayer in promoting improved healthcare outcomes, the dogma of the Christian Science religion and what legal authorities have to say concerning these practices was conducted.

Introduction

What is meant by, "Let him call for the elders of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the Name of Jesus"?

In spite of a growing secularism in the United States in recent years, it would appear that a majority of Americans still believe in the power of prayer and how it can be used to good effect in their own personal lives. For example, a survey of 325 adult American Christians conducted by Trier and Shupe (1989) found that almost a third (30%) of the respondents had used prayer as a means of treating themselves for illnesses, injuries, and other health issues; moreover, another survey of 560 adult American Christians by Poloma (1991a) found an even higher incidence of the use of prayer for healing purposes, with almost three-quarters (72%) of the respondents reporting that they believed that people could be healed through prayer.

The results of these surveys suggest that many modern mainstream Christians have a strong faith in the power of prayer to facilitate healing. In this regard, Poloma (1991b) emphasizes that, "These studies demonstrate that faith healing is not concentrated among deprived populations as commonly assumed. Rather, the belief in and practice of spiritual healing is widely diffused through a broad range of the general population."

Because the belief in the power of prayer to facilitate healing is widespread among many Christian denominations, is it really fair to single out one religion because of their adherence to faith healing practices to the exclusion of allopathic medicine? Indeed, in spite of a number of highly publicized failures of faith healing by Christian Scientists and others to effect a cure, it can be reasonably suggested that there are countless other instances in which such faith healing approaches have been successful that have not received the same level of attention from the media. Likewise, in those instances in which faith healing has failed to achieve a cure, there is a corresponding assumption that allopathic medicine would have been successful.

Despite these constraints to a meaningful analysis, the research shows that time and again, Christian Scientists have resorted to faith healing to the serious detriment of their followers in general and young children in particular who were denied the opportunity to benefit from modern medical interventions with established efficacy by virtue of a strict reliance on biblical scriptures that require prayer to the exclusion of all other interventions. Indeed, as May emphasizes, "From the medical perspective, the Christian Science community simply cannot be respected. What Christian Scientists understand as doing what is best for their children, physicians perceive as serious threats to the fundamental rights of those children."

Chapter 1 Faith Healing: Biblically Defined

This chapter discusses James 5:14 -- 16 as the theological foundation upon which to answer these questions. James 5:14 -- 16 deserves a thorough theological analysis as certain religious sects seem to rewrite various textual aspects of these verses. Additionally, the term "Faith Healing" requires a more exact definition because the usage of the relevant words can be ambiguous to those not in an intimate relationship with God and can result in a radically confused application of the text. According to Masters, "Since the foundation of the Christian church, believers have prayed for the healing of the sick. Indeed the Bible documents many instances of divine healing and indicates that the prayers of the righteous may accomplish much (James 5:16)."

For the faithful Christian Scientist, then, faith healing represents a viable and effective approach to healthcare to the strict exclusion of other interventions and these issues are discussed further below.

Chapter 2 Faith Healing: A Christian Science Perspective

This chapter provides a definition of "Faith Healing" from a Christian Science perspective which is considered in terms of how it fits in with the biblically instructed word of James. The aim of this section was not be to establish a detailed or complete biblical theological of "Faith Healing" but rather to make the reader aware of the larger biblical, theological and social issues involved. Finally, Chapter 2 studies Titus 3:10 -- 11 and James 14 -- 16 in their immediate contexts for reasons that will become apparent. According to the seminal text of Christian Science's founder, Mary Baker Eddy, all people should be able to be their "own physician, and Truth will be the universal panacea."

From Eddy's perspective, the ability of prayer to effect a cure for virtually any human medical problem was directly related to its origins in the sufferer's mind rather than the physical body. According to May, "In some cases, Eddy suggested that people may need help in bringing their minds into alignment with 'Mind.' Such assistance, in the form of reliance on certain others, was meant only to help the individual to help him- or herself."

Christian Scientists have experienced failure to heal their children time and again over the years since the religion's founding a century ago, and a number of criminal charges have been brought against Christian Science parents who relied strictly on Eddy's guidance concerning faith healing. As a result, it would appear that even the most pious members of the Christian Science religion should recognize the limitations of faith healing when it comes to certain medical conditions for which allopathic treatments are readily available, but despite criminal convictions and countless deaths of children, the practice of faith healing remains firmly in place within the religion. Some scriptural guidance concerning these issues can be gleaned from Titus 3:10 -- 11 which states, "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

Notwithstanding these warnings to the contrary, the Old Testament does contain some on-point guidance concerning the effectiveness of prayer in facilitating healing and why it should be used. For example, James 14 asks, "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." The effectiveness of prayer in promoting a cure for sickness and for the forgiveness of sins is made clear by James 15-16 which state, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." For those who believe in these passages today, faith healing would appear to represent the best and only acceptable approach to curing the sick. When these religious practices are applied to children, though, who are unable to make a decision for themselves concerning what type of medical intervention is required, the situation becomes more complicated and legalistic in nature and these issues are discussed further below.

Chapter 3: When Faith Healing Fails God's Children

This chapter integrates these various insights in order to answer the guiding dissertation question. In a free society, adults should be free to pursue any healthcare regimen they believe will provide them with some benefit for their medical condition; however, even in the most permissive and open society, young children do not have the right or capacity to make such informed judgments concerning what healthcare approach may be best suited for their individual needs. It is reasonable to suggest that given the opportunity, many of the young people who have died as a result of their Christian Scientist parents' strict observance of faith healing practices to the total exclusion of mainstream medical interventions would have elected to receive such treatments but they were never provided this opportunity.

Indeed, the strict reliance of Christian Scientists parents on faith healing practices for their children directly contradicts the statement by Dr. J. Buroughs Stokes, Christian Science Commission on Publication who emphasized in a statement before Congress that, "Christian Science relies wholly on spiritual means for healing, as did Christ Jesus.... It respects the right of each individual to choose that mode of health care which seems to him most efficacious and most nearly in accord with God's will."

Clearly, Christian Science does not "respect the right of each individual" if that individual has not yet reached his or her majority and children of Christian Science parents are not consulted concerning their preference for healthcare alternatives, but are rather subjected to strict faith healing practices that involve senior members of the religion coming together to pray over an afflicted child. Most reasonable people would agree that such practices when combined with known efficacious allopathic interventions would be a highly desirable approach. Studies have shown time and again that prayer can facilitate healing among adults.

According to Trier and Shupe, researchers have "reviewed several clinical studies of prayer and healing in hospitals and found prayer associated with improvement in patients' overall conditions. They also researched the importance of religious faith and prayer for the mental and physical health of the elderly and discovered it to be significant."

These studies, though, also emphasized that intercessory prayer was used in conjunction with, rather than to the exclusion of, mainstream healthcare interventions and that the subjects involved were already inpatients in mainstream hospitals at the time of the research.

Chapter 4: Drawing the Line, Faith Healing or Murder

Finally, this chapter considers some of the implications of "Faith Healing" in the name of Jesus in modern mainstream churches and the Christian Science religion today and the obligation of believers and the world to act according to the Will of God. Today, the world is wracked by violence and mayhem from religious fundamentalists of every ilk who believe they know the Mind of God and how it applies to their everyday lives. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were prosecuted by 15 such religious fanatics, but this level of fanaticism is not restricted to Islam by any measure. Indeed, the continuing existing of the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nation in the United States is proof positive that fringe elements in American society will continue to embrace scriptures out of context to support their own warped views of what it means to be a "good Christian" in ways that defy explanation by those who do not subscribe to such fanatical views.

Notwithstanding the violence that is associated with such fringe elements to the contrary, though, even these fringe elements could be tolerated in a free society because, after all, the Bill of Rights does not stop at the church house door nor does it only apply to people with whom one agrees. In a free society, adults must be allowed to pursue their own course of action as they see fit when it comes to what healthcare alternatives are best suited for their individual needs. Nevertheless, a line must be drawn somewhere in order to protect the young and innocent from religious beliefs that might be harmful to them and this is certainly the case with Christian Scientists and their faith-healing practices. In this regard, May emphasizes that, "The mainstream position in medicine and law is that even in a pluralistic society a line needs to be drawn at the point where respecting a religious minority culture clearly jeopardizes the well-being of children" (emphasis added).