A Dutch Study of Remarkable Recoveries After Prayer: How to Deal with Uncertainties of Explanation

Bendien, Elena; Kruijthoff, Dirk J; Kooi, C. van der; Glas, G.; Abma, Tineke

doi:10.1007/s10943-023-01750-6

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 63 publications

(78 reference statements)

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“…It is fascinating that the above studies and ours all seem to point in the direction of a recurring pattern, moreover occurring in different countries and in different settings. Traces of the same pattern can also be found in our qualitative study by Bendien et al (2022). Further studies focusing on these findings will be very worthwhile.…”

Section: A Pattern Of a Healing Touch With A Spiritually Transformati...supporting

confidence: 81%

“…Life experiences are inscribed in this body and may contribute to health or disease later in life. Bendien et al (2022) use the term trans-somatic recovery in a qualitative study of prayer healing experiences. Trans suggest the presence of a transformative and transcending dimension in (some) healing experiences.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An additional remark should be made about the role of a 'spiritual journey'. When analyzing 14 in-depth interviews, Bendien et al (2022) notice: 'at some point in their life they (i.e., the respondents) embark on a quest for faith, for their God'. One wonders about the association of these spiritual quests and the occurrence of a healing experience.…”

Section: Level Of Expectation Vs Explanationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prayer and Healing: A Study of 83 Healing Reports in the Netherlands

et al. 2022

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The setting: 83 reports of healing related to prayer (HP) were evaluated between 2015 and 2020 in the Netherlands. Research questions: What are the medical and experiential findings? Do we find medically remarkable and/or medically unexplained healings? Which explanatory frameworks can help us to understand the findings? Methods: 83 reported healings were investigated using medical files and patient narratives. An independent medical assessment team consisting of five medical consultants, representing different fields of medicine, evaluated the associated files of 27 selected cases. Fourteen of them received in-depth interviews. Instances of healing could be classified as ‘medically remarkable’ or ‘medically unexplained’. Subsequent analysis was transdisciplinary, involving medical, experiential, theological and conceptual perspectives. Results: the diseases reported covered the entire medical spectrum. Eleven healings were evaluated as ‘medically remarkable’, while none were labelled as ‘medically unexplained’. A pattern with recurrent characteristics emerged, whether the healings were deemed medically remarkable or not: instantaneity and unexpectedness of healing, often with emotional and physical manifestations and a sense of ‘being overwhelmed’. The HP experiences were interpreted as acts of God, with a transformative impact. Positive effects on health and socio-religious quality of life persisted in most cases after a two and four year follow-up. Conclusions: the research team found it difficult to frame data in medical terms, especially the instantaneity and associated experiences in many healings. We need a broader, multi-perspective model to understand the findings. Horizontal epistemology, valuing both ‘subjective’ (experiential) and ‘objective’ data, may be helpful. An open dialogue between science and religion may help too. There is an analogy with healing narratives in the Bible and throughout church history. Future studies and documentation are needed to verify and clarify the pattern we found.

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Section: A Pattern Of a Healing Touch With A Spiritually Transformati...supporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Level Of Expectation Vs Explanationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prayer and Healing: A Study of 83 Healing Reports in the Netherlands

et al. 2022

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The Mental Diet: Choosing Beliefs to Improve Wellbeing

Lumbreras

2024

Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion

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Acknowledging the established link between beliefs and wellbeing, this paper explores the concept of voluntary belief acquisition and modification as a conscious and impactful process. This is contrasted with passive belief acceptance, underlining the potential for self-directed improvement in wellbeing through deliberate belief restructuring. The concept of beliefs is approached from a multi-dimensional perspective, recognizing cognitive, affective, and social factors. The paper further explores the potential to nudge societal norms towards healthier belief systems through education and other mechanisms. Drawing on empirical evidence, cognitive science, and philosophical argumentation, it proposes a reframing of beliefs as dynamic constructs open to conscious manipulation, with profound implications for individual and societal wellbeing. This research underscores the importance of fostering critical awareness of personal beliefs: in the same way that we are aware of how diet affects our health, we should be mindful of how our beliefs -our mental diet- impact our wellbeing.

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A Dutch Study of Remarkable Recoveries After Prayer: How to Deal with Uncertainties of Explanation

Cited by 2 publications

References 63 publications

Prayer and Healing: A Study of 83 Healing Reports in the Netherlands

Prayer and Healing: A Study of 83 Healing Reports in the Netherlands

The Mental Diet: Choosing Beliefs to Improve Wellbeing

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