Medicinal Prayer?

April 3, 2006

Science & Theology News is devoting this week to coverage of a newly released “Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer” or STEP. Articles so far:

• New study casts doubt on medicinal value of prayer
  Key Quote: “investigators said that it is possible that intercessory prayer may not be amenable to randomized control methodology”
• Separating fact from fiction
  Key Quote: “Science, medicine and religion should work hand in hand, complementing each other in helping the whole person to thrive.”
• Medicine and prayer don’t mix
  Key Quote: “Attempts to closely connect religion and medicine unwittingly imply that religion has no strengths of its own and instead needs the methods of science to establish validity.”