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

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pr<strong>of</strong>essionals. Despite <strong>the</strong> differences between <strong>the</strong>m, members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> URC <strong>and</strong> COGICcongregations feel <strong>the</strong>y experience increased well-being as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se activities,<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir attitudes <strong>and</strong> activities can be represented within conventional models <strong>of</strong>health promotion. In <strong>the</strong> churches, <strong>spiritual</strong> healing is a voluntary <strong>and</strong> free service as<strong>the</strong>re are no medical fees requiring payment through National Insurance or any o<strong>the</strong>rscheme. There is no discrimination as healing using touch <strong>and</strong> anointing with oil isavailable to all <strong>and</strong> all are invited for healing whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>re is a healing service or not.These factors, as noted in section 2.4.2 can make comparison with <strong>the</strong> efficacy <strong>of</strong>conventional medical services very difficult.Some church attenders in both churches hope for <strong>the</strong> instant fix <strong>of</strong> a „miracle‟ whilsto<strong>the</strong>rs accept that healing is a slow <strong>and</strong> ongoing process. Whe<strong>the</strong>r it is an instant„miracle‟ or an ongoing process, those seeking <strong>spiritual</strong> healing rely on a belief system<strong>and</strong> a doctrine that is culturally bound to <strong>the</strong> Christian faith. These include healthpromotion activities <strong>of</strong> prayer, laying on <strong>of</strong> h<strong>and</strong>s, anointing with oil <strong>and</strong> also music toeffect healing. Recipients <strong>of</strong> <strong>spiritual</strong> healing whose health seeking behaviour straddles<strong>the</strong> medical <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>spiritual</strong> approaches may or may not use conventional medicalservices. However in <strong>the</strong> UK, <strong>the</strong>y usually have <strong>the</strong> opportunity to access bothapproaches, unlike people in third world countries who have limited access to modernmedicine. They have little or no choice but to make <strong>the</strong> best use <strong>of</strong> folk medicine, orfaith healers. Nearly twenty years ago Gerl<strong>of</strong>f (1992), writing about both <strong>the</strong> British<strong>and</strong> American situations suggested that healing activities could unite black <strong>and</strong> whiteworshippers more than any o<strong>the</strong>r church activities. In seeking <strong>and</strong> administering<strong>spiritual</strong> healing <strong>the</strong> research reported <strong>the</strong> researcher contends that individuals <strong>and</strong>groups are engaging in health seeking behaviour <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore acknowledging that <strong>the</strong>y318

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