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Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Blazer, DG; Cohen, HJ; George, LK; Koenig, HG; Verhey, A
Published in: Int J Psychiatry Med
2011

Patients and family members often turn to prayer in response to serious, life-threatening illness. Prayer for a miraculous cure is often the request. While prayer can keep hope alive, it may also promote unrealistic expectations that fuel demands for life-preserving technology in medically futile situations. Furthermore, if prayer does not achieve the desired results, then disappointment and disillusionment may follow and make the coping process even more difficult. We present here a case of a seriously ill man whose family and faith community prayed for his healing. John, however, was not healed. A medical internist, two psychiatrists, a sociologist, and a theologian discuss their perspectives on the apparent failure of prayer to heal John. This cross-disciplinary discussion reveals insights that we believe physicians can use when confronting such issues with patients.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Int J Psychiatry Med

DOI

ISSN

0091-2174

Publication Date

2011

Volume

42

Issue

4

Start / End Page

377 / 391

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Failure
  • Spirituality
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Reality Testing
  • Psychiatry
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms
  • Male
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Humans
  • Grief
 

Citation

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MLA
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Blazer, D. G., Cohen, H. J., George, L. K., Koenig, H. G., & Verhey, A. (2011). Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines. Int J Psychiatry Med, 42(4), 377–391. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.42.4.d
Blazer, Dan G., Harvey Jay Cohen, Linda K. George, Harold G. Koenig, and Allen Verhey. “Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines.Int J Psychiatry Med 42, no. 4 (2011): 377–91. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.42.4.d.
Blazer DG, Cohen HJ, George LK, Koenig HG, Verhey A. Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines. Int J Psychiatry Med. 2011;42(4):377–91.
Blazer, Dan G., et al. “Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines.Int J Psychiatry Med, vol. 42, no. 4, 2011, pp. 377–91. Pubmed, doi:10.2190/PM.42.4.d.
Blazer DG, Cohen HJ, George LK, Koenig HG, Verhey A. Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines. Int J Psychiatry Med. 2011;42(4):377–391.
Journal cover image

Published In

Int J Psychiatry Med

DOI

ISSN

0091-2174

Publication Date

2011

Volume

42

Issue

4

Start / End Page

377 / 391

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Failure
  • Spirituality
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Reality Testing
  • Psychiatry
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms
  • Male
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Humans
  • Grief