Theories about Prayer and Healing

A variety of theories, both scientific and religious, have been proposed to explain how healing occurs in response to, or in association with, prayer. Some of these are consistent with the NCCAM classification of prayer as a mind-body intervention, but some demonstrate that the mechanism of action for prayer is a complex issue that the classifications do not fully capture.

In this section, we look at the following explanations:

• The relaxation response
  
• Secondary control
  
• The placebo response
  
• Healing presence
  
• Positive feelings
  
• Mind-body-spirit connection

In addition to these, some of the effects of prayer might be attributable to social support, since prayer is often done in a social setting, such as a church.

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