Miracles and Medicine: An Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

The search for scholarly articles with the word “miracle” in the title resulted in limited findings. There was a subset of articles addressing miracles from the perspective of saints, religions, or healers. These seemed to be focused on examining the legitimacy of miracles or examining the context in which miracles occurred. The authors of another set of articles challenged the concept of miracles using criteria to illustrate their points. Although the term “miracle” may not be present in the titles of many articles, what is clear is that if one delves deeper into the literature, miracle terminology is very present in the beliefs, hopes, and practices of patients. Several articles explained these beliefs, and the most poignant point discovered was the discordance between the beliefs of patients and healthcare providers, often resulting in tension. What was discussed over a decade ago by Rushton and Russell is that the meaning of the term “miracle” is what matters the most. For some patients, it may mean cure; for others, it may mean healing on various levels. An understanding of the meaning and the recognition of the existence of these beliefs is critical within the context of wholistic care.