SPIRITUAL HEALING
An Explanation
Spiritual healing is otherwise known, in Christian churches, as the "laying-on-of-hands". It is a very old practice and is reported in the Bible in many places, where it is said that Jesus healed by touch, i.e. by laying on hands. The Biblical reports relate particularly to outstanding examples of "cure", or of alleviation of physical disorders, though it is probably that there were many other cases not reported, or not of sufficient interest to bystanders and later readers to be of sufficient impact for the aim of religious instruction. There were also reports of conditions of emotional stress being corrected. In all these cases the recipient and Jesus were in direct contact, or what today would be called "contact healing".
It is a misnomer to call Spiritual Healing, faith healing. The recipient, if a child or an animal, has no or little understanding of matters spiritual to have "faith" in either a Supreme Being or the "healer". It is possible that the phrase arose from a Bible incident when a person seeking healing from Jesus said that it was not necessary for Jesus to touch him. "Your Faith has made you whole".
It is recorded that some persons received healing benefit from Jesus without meeting; by prayer or the wish for recovery. Healing without contact is widely practised by prayer healing groups and by individuals, who ask for healing for persons (who may even not know of the request on their behalf). Prayer Healing, Distant Healing, Absent Healing, are frequently requested during church services (of all denominations) and by individuals who dedicate some time to this practice.
Many Christian churches practise the "laying-on-of-hands" for healing. In most cases it is a gentle and quiet practice which has been encouraged, in particular, by the Anglican Bishops in Convocation, for practise by clergy and layfolk who are confirmed members of the Anglican Church, under the supervision of the clergy. Methodist and Congregational Churches are similar. In some Evangelical Churches the activity is much more flamboyant and demonstrative, as with the "Toronto Blessing" when the recipient falls down in a coma or trance. For some reason the regular churches do not call the practice "Spiritual Healing" even though they acknowledged God as the Spiritual Source.
So; in general terms Spiritual Healing is a recognised and acknowledged practice. In Christian Science it is a primary aspect of belief.
Up to this point reference has been made only to Christian churches. But Healing is also to be found in other religions though, possibly, presented in a different way as appropriate to that religion, e.g. Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Rosicrucian, Taoism, etc.,
Spiritual Healing is strongly practised in Spiritualist churches, whether Spiritualist National Union, Greater World Christian Spiritualist Association, Christian Spiritualist Society, or other similar bodies and independent groups. There are also many Associations and Societies and Fellowships not related to any church, whose sole interest is in Spiritual Healing. Many of these are based on Counties or localities or, perhaps, have a national element. The bodies referred to in this paragraph all provide training, development, supervision and accreditation of their healer members, to an extent not usually found in the regular churches. Almost all are layfolk (from the viewpoint of the clergy), with this specific dedication: to be healing channels.
