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

espondents‟ perception of suffering, it will be shown the form of suffering follows thecultural perception of the person who is suffering and others who see them as suffering.The history of the churches, the experience of folk medicine, and the degree of spiritualand psychological support interact to shape the subjective experience of suffering.Perception of demonic possession is included in this chapter from the healing perspectivewhereas it is included in chapter 4 from the cultural and belief system perspective. It isimportant to note that concern with the concept of pain and suffering runs throughout thethesis.Chapter 7 explores prayer as one of the main health seeking behaviours and healthpromotion activities used in distant healing and contact healing in the two churches in thestudy. In the Pentecostal congregation prayer for healing is not separated from prayer forrepentance, sanctification, justification and becoming a born again Christian. In the URCprayer for healing is focused during intercessory prayers during normal Sunday servicesand there is also a healing service where the whole service if focused on healing andconcludes with prayer and the „laying of hands‟ by the minister and elders for anyone whowishes to take this opportunity to have a focused prayer. The literature, observation andother research literature show that research into the effects of prayer is sometimesinconclusive and neither proves or disproves that prayer is effective as a tool in spiritualhealing. It can therefore be concluded that more research is needed for a betterunderstanding of the different aspects of prayer and healing in coping with adverse stressand illness.Chapter 8 examines the „laying on of hands‟ as an approach to using touch as technique inspiritual healing and also explores the concept of laying of hands as the biblical practice of18