Abstract
Many people plagued with incurable diseases or diseases that seem to be resistant to medical treatment, in desperation turn to preachers who claim to administer divine healing. These divine healers make certain claims, based on their interpretation of the Scriptures and a so-called revelation of God’s will. They furthermore preach that healing and health are included in atonement and that nobody should be sick. Illness is an indication of a lack of faith on the part of the believer. It could also be attributed to an attack from the devil. In order to obtain healing, a process of ignoring the symptoms, followed by an unyielding and repeated confession of the healing needed, based on selected verses from the Scriptures, is proposed.This article is based on the contention that the healing practised by these divine healers is nothing more than a ‘mind-over-matter’ approach, leading people into confessing over and over that they have been healed. These practices are reminiscent of the utilisation of affirmations that lead to positive thinking, which will evidently result in a change of behaviour on the part of the confessor. No indication of Godly intervention seems to be evident in this healing ministry, and neither is any submission to the will and purpose of God.
Highlights
The post-modern era is characterised by different attempts to downplay the position of Christianity
An advertising campaign recently launched in the United Kingdom by the British Humanist Society aims to establish the belief that God does not exist
The presuppositions of divine healing in the Faith Movement will be discussed and investigated so as to answer the question: Is divine healing, as propagated by the Faith Movement, not merely a metaphysical process – the result of positive thinking and confessing? Information for this article was collected by means of a literature study as well as personal experience through years of active involvement in the movement
Summary
IS ‘DIVINE HEALING’ IN THE ‘FAITH MOVEMENT’ FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HEALING IN THE BIBLE OR BASED ON THE POWER OF THE MIND?. Affiliation: 1Department of Student Admission and Registration, University of South Africa, South Africa. How to cite this article: Pretorius, S.P., 2009, ‘Is “divine healing” in the “Faith Movement” founded on the principles of healing in the Bible or based on the power of the mind?’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 65(1), Art.
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