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

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details. They have many short courses <strong>and</strong> a three year degree ministers‟ training based atWestminster College in Cambridge <strong>and</strong> which is affiliated to o<strong>the</strong>r Universities <strong>and</strong>Colleges. The total amount <strong>of</strong> time for training ministers range from 3 years to seven years.The ministers do not run specific courses on healing for <strong>the</strong>ir own congregations althougha minister may invite healers to run a one or half day courses on an ad hoc basis.The people <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir cultural background present complex issues. The living out <strong>of</strong> areligion <strong>and</strong> a doctrine <strong>of</strong> faith that is intended as universal is obviously shaped by factorssuch as oppression <strong>and</strong> rejection <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> immigrants historically <strong>and</strong> continues to be so.Black majority churches such as COGIC continue to grow in number at a fast rate although<strong>the</strong> white majority churches have become more welcoming <strong>and</strong> embracing <strong>of</strong> black <strong>and</strong>ethnic minority people.. There are some similarities in <strong>the</strong> organisation <strong>and</strong> governance <strong>of</strong>both churches as COGIC attempts to emulate <strong>the</strong> white majority in <strong>the</strong>ir activities,hierarchy <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> leading <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit. The issue <strong>of</strong> power <strong>and</strong> authority is exploredfur<strong>the</strong>r in chapter 5.The WHO (1946) definition, <strong>and</strong> Ewles <strong>and</strong> Simnett‟s (1999, 2003) <strong>and</strong> Seedhouse‟s(1999) exposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> health seem to reveal <strong>the</strong> COGICmembership as an entity that is not fully integrated within <strong>the</strong> wider community. Many stillbelieve that <strong>the</strong> wider society <strong>of</strong> commodity <strong>and</strong> market forces should take second place to<strong>the</strong>ir <strong>spiritual</strong> health <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir relationship with God. Consequently <strong>the</strong> older people staywith <strong>the</strong> church <strong>and</strong> maintain <strong>the</strong>ir community <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>spiritual</strong> aspect through <strong>the</strong> weeklyfasting services <strong>and</strong> prayer meetings. They are aware <strong>of</strong> what happens in o<strong>the</strong>r churches,especially <strong>the</strong> white majority churches, but this has nothing to do with <strong>the</strong>m. The idea that<strong>the</strong>y are open to all who wish to come to church is a myth because <strong>the</strong>re is no real effort143

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