Until recent years, much of the prevailing literature in medical and psychological journals had discounted religion and spirituality as significant factors in health care. Some reports had even argued that religion or devout faith in God could be detrimental to mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Today, however, a growing number of respected health-care professionals and other spiritual thinkers are challenging the old paradigm and are seriously researching the healing effects of prayer, spirituality, and religion.
From December 3 through 5, 1995, an important conference was held in Boston, U.S. A, on the subject "Spirituality & Healing in Medicine. " The conference was conducted under the direction of Dr. Herbert Benson and was sponsored by Harvard Medical School and The Mind/Body Medical Institute, Deaconess Hospital. (This course was supported in part by an educational grant from The John Templeton Foundation.) Central to the conference was a serious discussion of the spiritual healing practices of major religions. A number of news sources covered the proceedings, including ABC television, Harper's magazine, and The Christian Science Monitor, as well as other newspapers. (See the Monitor, December 6, 1995, and Christian Science Sentinel, January 15, 1996, for a fuller report.)
As a result of ongoing dialogue over many years between the Christian Science Church and Dr. Benson, who has been exploring healing in a number of religious groups, an invitation was accepted to participate in the conference. The following is the text of the talk given by Virginia S. Harris, C.S.B., Chairman of The Christian Science Board of Directors. Also included are introductory and concluding remarks from Dr. Benson.
