FAITH HEALS

Q. I believe people of faith are healthier and live longer than those who don’t believe in God. I also think prayer heals. A few people in my church were healed when it seemed there was no hope for them. My husband says these ideas are nonsense. He said if I could prove that church attendance, prayer or faith could heal a person or make anyone live longer he would start going to church with me. Is there any scientific proof that faith heals?

A. There is scientific evidence that faith heals. Hundreds of studies have demonstrated the healing power of prayer. In a 1995 issue of The Mind/Body Medicine Newsletter a feature article cited a study by Thomas Oxman of Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire. He investigated the role religion plays in the health of elderly people. Oxman’s study involved 232 patients who had open heart surgery. He found that the patients who gained strength and comfort from their religious beliefs were three times more likely to survive than those who had no comfort from religious faith.

  

In addition, those who participated in social and community groups had three times the survival rate of those who didn’t take part in any organized activity. Those who had both protective factors - religious and social support - had a ten fold increase in survival.

  

The researchers don’t understand why or how religious feeling can extend life. They speculate that having faith is physiologically calming and thus prevents problems during recovery. In other words, it boosts our immune system.They also suggest that having faith gives meaning to life which is medically helpful. In contrast, the person without faith leads a more stressful life due to the lack of purpose he attributes to life. These researchers believe that the social and religious factors in heart disease survival may be as significant as well known risks such as smoking or high blood pressure.

In addition to the above study, Larry Dossey, M.D., in his book Healing Words cites impressive scientific evidence that prayer heals. He says that studies have shown that prayer positively affected high blood pressure, wounds, heart attacks, headaches and anxiety. Dossey cites a double-blind controlled study conducted by cardiologist Randolph Byrd, formerly a professor at the University of California. In this study 393 patients were assigned to two groups. 192 patients were prayed for and 201 patients were not prayed for. The results were dramatic. 

The group that was prayed for were five times less likely to require antibiotics and three times less likely to develop pulmonary edema. He says “It is simply a fact that patients sometimes improve dramatically following prayer.” 

  

A Columbia University study reported in the New York Times Magazine, December 9, 2001, had startling findings about prayer. The study found that women in a fertility clinic were almost twice as likely to get pregnant when, without their knowledge, strangers were praying for them to conceive. Women in the prayed for group had a pregnancy rate of 50 percent versus 26 percent for women in the control group. 

  

Many studies show that social ties are good for our health and isolation shortens our life. Since our social support systems often decline as we age, involvement in a church can meet the social as well as the faith needs especially of senior citizens and can help all of us live healthier, happier and longer lives.

   

Hopefully your husband will accept this evidence and give faith and church a chance. Those of us who have experienced the healing power of prayer are not surprised by these findings. We know that faith, hope and love are healing! We know that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NLT

Blessings, Dottie