Testing Prayer


Book Description

In Candy Gunther Brown's view, science cannot prove prayer's healing power, but what scientists can and should do is study prayer's measurable effects on health. If prayer benefits, even indirectly, then more careful attention to prayer practices could impact global health, particuarly in places without access to conventional medicine.




The Illusion of God's Presence


Book Description

An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion.Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet.Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.







The ABC's of Bible Prayer


Book Description




Fingerprints of God


Book Description

Articles about research on spirituality and the brain are usually written from the point of view that religious experience can be understood from a purely scientific perspective. Hagerty's (religion correspondent, NPR) book does not have this naturalistic or materialistic tendency. Rather, as both a reporter and a religious person, she seeks insight on spirituality and science while being open to the possibility that spirituality may still have a transcendent component. The book is interesting to read because the author has interviewed many scientists as well as many people who attest to having mystical or near-death experiences. In a way, the reader feels like a participant in Hagerty's own encounter with the various pieces of information and evidence, struggling with her to make sense of it all. Highly recommended.John Jaeger, Dallas Baptist Univ. Lib. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.




Benevolent Magic and Living Prayer


Book Description

The first in the Secrets of Feminine Science series, provides a simple, easy-to-read introduction to benevolent magic and living prayer. Reveals the Mysteries, offers these techniques so that we can help create benevolent lives for ourselves and others here and now.




Prayer


Book Description

Discover the transformative power of prayer through this philosophical and inspirational book, packed with prayers and meditations drawn from Ernest Holmes′s classic text, The Science of Mind. Prayer is a deeply personal practice, transcending religious boundaries. This book explores the philosophy of prayer and explores its profound impact on the mind and body, all while guiding you through the art of praying and meditation to help you discover guidance, healing, and a deeper understanding of yourself. Combining the most essential principles of prayer with the dozens of prayers and meditations from Ernest Holmes’s classic text, The Science of Mind, this essential guide is a simple introduction for anyone who wants to learn how to pray effectively. “What does one do when he prays?” writes Holmes. “He talks to God. Where does he talk to God? He talks to God in his own mind, through his own thought or feeling.”




The Life of Prayer in a World of Science


Book Description

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Christians carried on an intense debate concerning the doctrine of prayer. This ideological revolution affected not only the ways that they interpreted the Bible but also how they prayed. In this book, Rick Ostrander explores the attempts of American Christians to articulate a convincing and satisfying ethic of prayer amidst these changing circumstances.




Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer


Book Description

Many people agree that prayer is a central feature of spiritual life. But what is prayer? Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer: An Exchange Between Larry Dossey, MD, and Health Care Chaplains explores common questions and concerns about intercessory prayer, or the act of praying for the benefit of others, from several different points of view. Chaplains, priests, ministers, and clergy in the health care profession will learn how prayer is examined from sources other than traditional Christian views, such as parapsychology. From Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer, you will learn what prayer means to some chaplains and to their ministry and how prayer can make drastic changes in the lives of your parishioners, patients, and their families. Written by eight chaplains, the articles in this text are in response to an essay by Larry Dossey, a nationally known physician who speaks and writes about prayer. The contributors to Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer discuss his points of view on intercessory prayer, which are based on quantum physics. You will learn if this area of physics can make a difference in how you practice your faith, how you worship, and what you think about or expect from prayer. Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer examines several other topics related to prayer, including: discovering whether or not intercessory prayer is truly different from other methods of meditation exploring the relationship between intercessory prayer and meditative or praise prayer linking prayers and their results to the expectations or intentions of those who engage in them differentiating between an intercession and a wish deciding for yourself what constitutes evidence or proof when discussing the aspects of prayer how our opinion of prayer relates to how we think about the universe and about God Since Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer focuses on the cooperation between science and theology, you will discover that, in many instances, people believe that the power of prayer should be taken seriously. This text also shows you how the questions and functions of prayer are shared by everyone, despite religious differences or methods of praying. Encompassing research and personal experiences, Scientific and Pastoral Perspectives on Intercessory Prayer will help you answer questions about religion and its role in the lives of parishioners, patients, and clergy, as well as provide you with evidence to the positive and healing power of prayer.