MANY years ago my father developed a huge lump at the back of his neck. He was examined on more than one occasion by a surgeon and scheduled for surgery. As he prepared himself mentally to undergo the procedure, my grandmother (mummy’s mother) decided to put the matter in different hands. She declared that he would not be having any surgery and she, along with others, prayed for him.

When he presented himself for surgery, the lump, to the amazement of the surgeon who had examined him the previous day, had totally disappeared.

So what is prayer? It can be described, in the broadest sense, as thoughts, words or deeds that address or petition a divine entity. Prayer has been categorised by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health as a mind-body intervention designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function.

Prayer is the most common complement to mainstream medicine far outpacing acupuncture, herbs, vitamins, and other alternative remedies. It is one of the most prevalent forms of healing.

Prayer is a tool that opens communication between a god and mankind. In churches, mosques, ashrams, prayer groups, and homes worldwide, millions of people offer prayers daily for healing of themselves, family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Throughout history, all the major religions of the world — Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism — have used prayer in healing. The words or posture may vary. But in times of illness, all religions look towards their source of authority.

Praying for a loved one is faith in its rawest form, whether one is pacing outside an operating theatre or hovering at a child’s bedside in the middle of the night.

Reverend Maxine Barnett, curate at the Church of St Jude, New York, states that one of the lessons she learned while training in pastoral ministry as chaplain at a hospital was that “when a patient asked me to pray for or with them, was not to assume that I knew what it was that they wanted healed”.

She illustrated this point by the example of a patient who was scheduled to undergo surgery and requested prayers for forgiveness for the harsh words she had exchanged with a family member.

Reverend Barnett explained: “We see this in many of the Gospel stories, where Jesus offered healing of the spirit (forgiveness of sins) to those who came seeking to be cured of a physical ailment. I now believe that when we pray for healing for ourselves or others, we should seek and be open to God healing those broken parts of our lives that may not be obvious, but that need to be made well if we are to be restored to wholeness.”

Can prayer help people heal? Is there any scientific evidence?

Many people have asked the following questions: Does prayer really heal? And if so, how does it work? Why does it only work sometimes? What changes occur in the brain and in the rest of the body as we pray? Is prayer anything more than a placebo? The findings are mixed and highly controversial, but researchers are intrigued by the evidence that suggests prayer may play a role in healing.

Studies conducted over the years indicate that the devout tend to be healthier. However, the reasons remain unclear. It is thought that healthy people may be more likely to join churches and that the pious may lead more wholesome lifestyles. The quiet meditation and incantations of praying, or the comfort of being prayed for, appears to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, slow the heart rate, and have other potentially beneficial effects.

The most controversial research focuses on “intercessory” or “distant” prayer, which involves people trying to heal others through their intentions, thoughts or prayers, sometimes without the recipients knowing it.

San Francisco cardiologist Dr Randolph Byrd conducted an experiment in which he asked born again Christians to pray for 192 people hospitalised for heart problems, comparing them with 201 not targeted for prayer. No one knew which group they were in. The results published in the July 1988 issue of the Southern Medical Journal, reported that fewer patients in the prayer group required breathing support, antibiotics or diuretics. These results were considered to be statistically significant. A study, of 990 heart disease patients (conducted by Dr William S Harris and his colleagues and reported in The Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999) supported the findings of Dr Byrd.

Not all the research findings have been impressive. Prayer researchers concede that their area of research is challenging. The fact is that no one knows what constitutes a ”dose”. Some studies have tested a few prayers a day by individual healers, while others have had entire congregations pray together. Other studies have involved evangelical Christians; while others have engaged rabbis, Buddhist monks, New Age healers, or some combination.

Another challenge concerns the mechanisms by which prayer work. Some researchers contend that prayer’s effects have little to do with religion or the existence of God. Instead of divine intervention, they propose that ”subtle energies” are responsible for any notable effects. Other researchers suggest that prayer may have a soothing effect that works like a placebo for believers who know they are being prayed for.

Understandably, many churchgoers are sceptical that prayer can be subjected to scientific scrutiny because prayers vary in their purpose and content — some give praise, others petition for strength, and many only ask that God’s will be done.

Reverend Barnett has succinctly stated: “I believe that when we pray for healing we open our hearts and minds to the presence and power of the giver of life and health. The very act of turning to the one who loves and walks with us can help us release the stress of our worries and fears and begin the process of healing our bodies and spirits. Scripture teaches us to pray with faith, confidence and persistence, surrendering our will to God’s will. Even when our wishes for a cure may not be granted, we are being healed and restored to wholeness, for prayer can bring us hope and peace, and draw us into a closer relationship with God.”

And so it is.

Dr Jacqueline E Campbell is a family physician, university lecturer and pharmacologist. She is the author of the book A patient’s guide to the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Email her at drjcampbell14@yahoo.com