Prayer and Spiritual Identity in Religious Testimonies of Healing: A Case Study

• In Event: Building Bridges Between Spirituality and Health

Abstract

Consistent with the attention on spirituality and health in American life, this case study is an analysis of 111 testimonies of spiritual healing as reported in Christian Science publications. Seven themes were discovered, such as testifiers’ recognizing God as Love, that spiritual laws facilitate healing, and that identity is spiritual. Testifiers identified their challenges, views that needed correction and breakthrough insights. Future research on healing testimonies could illuminate the role of spirituality in everyday life.

Author

• Susan Kline, Ohio State University