An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

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Both denominations observed believe in the significance of the outpouring of the Spirit atPentecost. However for Pentecostal churches the outpouring of the Spirit is central to thestyle of worship and the vehicle through which they claim healing. Churches outside thePentecostal movement observe Pentecost through traditional and ritual celebration of setdays in the Christian year where Pentecost starts on the second or third Sunday in Maydepending on the date of Easter Sunday. These dates are currently set up to 2020 andbeyond.It is important to recognise that aspects of applied theology of healing and governanceoverlay other fundamental theologies and that these differ between the congregationsobserved. While this is not primarily a work of theology, there are clear denominationaldifferences between COGIC and the URC on issues such as soteriology (understandings ofsalvation) and eschatology (understandings of the end times) that I will outline briefly here.COGIC, a Pentecostal denomination has a „fully realised eschatology‟ according toMcGrath (1995). By this, it is clear that they understand the atoning work of Jesus Christ tohave bought in the Kingdom of God, so that the benefits of the new age are made availableto followers of Jesus today. This is a model of salvation that includes the expectation thathealing, as well as forgiveness, has been achieved for believers. Salvation, therefore, is thegate to healing from all of „dis-ease‟, sin, sic ss and often even poverty, and thatthis is available, or „fully realised‟ in this world not only awaiting believers in heaven.The URC as a denomination have a more generally „anticipated eschatology‟ of salvationachieving all of these things, healing, forgiveness and total restoration, but do not expect tosee all of the benefits of Christ‟s atoning worthis age. Their eschatology is one of„now, but not yet‟, a soteriology that expects the full realisation of the benefits won byChrist to be experienced in the „coming Kingdom‟.95
The different emphases in soteriology and eschatology are the filters for the practice ofspiritual healing. For the Pentecostal denominations, there is the expectation of healing,and other doctrines to explain why it may not happen. In the URC, there is an emphasis onforgiveness achieved now, but total healing from sickness, to be realised in a future age.There are further cultural filters that can be identified as shaping the codification ofreligion in these denominations, as I have begun to identity later in this chapter. Fullyanalysing the interplay between cultures, theology is far too great a task for this thesis, butwithout appreciating the theological as well as cultural context of these congregations itwould not be possible fully to understand the differences in their approaches to spiritualhealing.Archer (2007) suggests that “For Pentecostals of all persuasions, the pursuits of holiness inlifestyle is not an option but a command. The Pentecostal story shapes our identity, guidesour activity and reflects our understanding of salvation for all of God‟s creation.”Warrington (2008) asserts that it is the „baptism of the Spirit that set Pentecostals apartfrom other evangelical churches‟. In recent years this has created a great deal of discussionas well as diversity of opinion. Pentecostal doctrine/ theology and therefore healing andworship are a way of church life unlike in the High Anglican and Roman Catholicchurches. Warrington (2008) further asserts that „Much of the debate between Pentecostalsand those expressing their views is about whether the gift of the Spirit recorded in Actswas subsequent to Salvation‟. As it is believed that the gift of healing is given to the churchand not to individuals, those who practise their gift of healing have to operate it within thedoctrine and organisational culture of the church. This may have the consequence that96
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Greenwich Academic Literature Archi
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AcknowledgementsI extend much grati
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Chapter 3: Methodology 633.1 Introd
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7.3 Prayer as Health Seeking Behavi
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CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT
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healing, bricolage and the use of s
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To remedy these gaps in the discour
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do with me‟ so she sent me to sch
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Interestingly, after 30 years of pr
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listening to a group of people that
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that I felt within the Black majori
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Chapter 3 describes the methodology
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espondents‟ perception of sufferi
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CHAPTER TWOLITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Int
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themes, it became necessary to revi
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suggests a combined approach where
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and healing as a kind of self-impro
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eports that the English believed th
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According to Davey et al (2002) ill
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deviant behaviour. The difference b
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church concretised the ideas of rel
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theology. It is no accident that th
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concept of culture we inevitably do
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When we look at the effect of cultu
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Page 59 and 60: climatic conditions, shelter and a
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Page 67 and 68: attachments that meet humans' funda
Page 69 and 70: distinguish from mental disorders.
Page 71 and 72: take a phenomenological and ethnogr
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Page 77 and 78: Healing services in both churches f
Page 79 and 80: Qualitative method can, however, be
Page 81 and 82: 3.5 Problems of participant and non
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Page 89 and 90: It may not be possible for all the
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Page 93 and 94: Consequently the practice relating
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Page 97 and 98: ecommended by the Pastor. When they
Page 99 and 100: The greater proportion of females i
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Page 117 and 118: The post-1905 Pentecostals saw thei
Page 119 and 120: the Holy Ghost). Interestingly the
Page 121 and 122: the churches they are busy breaking
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Page 127 and 128: the church group to strangers. In t
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Page 131 and 132: 4.8.1. Description of the inside of
Page 133 and 134: The order of service below is based
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Page 137 and 138: Table 3 Organisational hierarchy of
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Page 141 and 142: communion table. To the right of th
Page 143 and 144: Minister used an acronym to illustr
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‗Garlic is good for reducing high
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4.13 ConclusionThis chapter began w
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organization. This role can only be
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5.3 The Authority and Power of the
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to become approved (professional) m
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majority. In recent years with Brit
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leadership although it is about aut
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Azusa Street outpouring in 1906. Af
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other who wal sorderly, and not of
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Although the Holy Spirit was presen
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Respondent 3 covered topics includi
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Respondent 10 (below) has similar v
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of rejection by the host community
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ehaviour model. In this situation,
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and they feel. It is not everybody
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many sections of society. It also s
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people. These qualities, however, a
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came across as though he was presen
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very important for this.On occasion
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CHAPTER SIXSUFFERING AND HEALING6.1
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mind body and spirit implies that i
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suffering. Most of these situations
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Respondent: Not for my sister she h
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man to repent and return to the cre
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clotting treatment. After the treat
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gift of miraculous powers go with t
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What I teach on this matter is, tha
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The bible does not condemn, forbid
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possibility of impending change in
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prayer or they are rested. What is
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„Whatever the educational attainm
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„The message of Job is a comfort
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he has questioned God‟s purposes
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pray for them. In the words of seve
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demonic forces. Explanations of spi
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In the observation example quoted a
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employed by the mother had she live
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healing. Worthington et al. (2007)
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in the account of a young mother in
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y not having a normal relationship
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and not related to any one cultural
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prayer to ma e me better‟, as tho
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Non-academic, or „popular‟ Chri
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when the healer petitions God in pr
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health and the ways in which hospit
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showing lethargy in praying, failin
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know when you have stomach ulcer yo
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ministers like Harris (2002) 3 . Th
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Healing services in the URC are mor
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Respondent: You have to have the gi
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psychological effect of knowing her
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Chapter 2, without taking some posi
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Prayer for distant healing takes pl
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Although prayers for healing are sa
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The healing services also include f
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The method and processes of closing
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7.7. ConclusionThis chapter has exa
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This chapter was born out of observ
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website (http://www.stonybrookmedic
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For those who reject traditional Ch
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hands on the forehead of each perso
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The minister also invited the rest
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service closed with silence accompa
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In this respondent‟s‟ account,
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Below are brief parts of extracts p
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service was when the speaker came t
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observed believed the aura of the h
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Ministers/healers of these two cong
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constituent of worship even where t
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to herself, and argues that music h
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could not read or write. Such music
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linking the psychic/mythological an
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group coordination through rhythmo-
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People can become so involved in a
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visual and auditory areas which act
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Campbell (1998) argue that as music
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The extracts from fieldwork notes b
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In COGIC the singing is accompanied
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when I was ill. Then my mum died th
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The passage cited from Respondent 1
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CHAPTER TENCONCLUSION AND RECOMMEND
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etween health professionals and chu
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The initial aim of the study: „to
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part of worship services a priority
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health professionals and spiritual
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are culturally conditioned rational
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professionals. Despite the differen
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prominent amongst people who attend
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ReferencesAchterberg, J., (1985) Im
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Bentham, J., (2001ff, originally 18
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Department of Health, (1999) Saving
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Hall, S., (1985) “Religious Ideol
Page 339 and 340:
Katz, J. J., (1990) Metaphysics of
Page 341 and 342:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/artic
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Pullar, P., (1988) Spiritual and La
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Comparative Perspective, Berg, Oxfo
Page 347 and 348:
International, London and New York.
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