CrossCultural Perspectives

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Cross-Cultural Perspectives
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Faith Healers

• Definition of Faith Healer
• Two basic beliefs are prevalent in religious
  healing
• 1. Healing occurs through psychological processes
• 2. Healing is accomplished through the
  intervention of God.
• There are five general categories of faith
  healing

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Faith Healing cont...

• Allen and Wallis (1976)- members of one church
  organization
• Illness is rooted in Devils work, illnesses are
  caused by evil spirits and demons.
• Supported the idea of divine healing based on two
  presumptions/teachings.
• Did not prohibit members from seeking medical
  care if needed.
• Divine healing is preferred

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Faith Healing cont...

• Gods methods are sometimes through the methods
  of man.
• Church members held scientific and religious
  beliefs at the same time.
• Glik (1990)-some respondents claim that some
  healing was attributed to spiritual healing.
• Religious healing lay in relief from stress....

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Faith Healers

• Christian Science Centre
• Sickness and pain are an illusion
• The key to life and health is thus obtained
  through spiritual discovery.
• Healing consists of prayers conveys a deeper
  understanding of spiritual well-being.
• Some of the legal cases concerning fundamental
  basics of Christian Science Centre.

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Folk Healers

• Racial and ethnic minorities
• Folk medicine- seen as a residue of health
  measures left over from prescientific historical
  periods.
• African American Folk Healers-Snow (1978) found
  that most subscribe to the belief that does not
  differentiate between science and religion.
• Fold diagnosis-emphasizes the cause of the
  problem and not the symptoms.

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African American Folk Healers

• If illness cannot be cured by medicine then
  magic.
• The causes of illnesses- not of Gods plan...may
  be sorcery.
• The term healer an array of healing roles.
• Healers claim several sources in their ability to
  heal
• Methods and delivery of healing

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Cont....

• The effectiveness of this healing
• Their ability to reduce the anxiety of their
  clients.
• Two distinct types of black folk healing
  Traditional and Caribbean.

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Aboriginal Healers The Navajos and Cree

• Navajo religion is closely linked with
  health-oriented practices.
• The principal figure is the singer.
• The singer is assisted by the Diviner
• Herbalists and bone setters
• They are concerned with the cause of the illness
  rather than its symptoms.

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The Cree in Canada

• Morse et al. (1991) identified five phases in the
  healing ceremony
• 1. The initial ritual
• 2. The Contract
• 3. The Treatment component
• 4. The didactic
• 5. Closure
• Treats the whole person not just particular
  symptoms.
• Mehl-Madrona (2008) and cancer patients.