Prayer between Science and Religion

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleMolitva izmedju nauke i religije
3. Language term Serbian
4. lemma author Stevanovic, Aleksandra
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines - Scientific theories and disciplines > Medicine
6. Publication date 10-8-2016
7. lemma work Jerotic, Vladeta [Editor]. Science, Religion, Society. 108-121, Prayer between Science and Religion
8. Keywords
   1. Milenkovic, Snezana
9. Keywords Jerotic, Vladeta [Author]. Psychotherapy and Religion. 220–225, Religion as Psychotherapy in Psychosomatics - psychotherapy and religion
10. Url 9/8/2016
11. Lemma body

    1. The paper of professor Milenkovic’s deals with new researches considering the efficiency of prayer in healing, with particular aspect to patients suffering from terminal diseases. It analyses the positions of so called classical medicine and psychotherapy, searching for the possibility of healing in modern medicine and psychoerapy. In general, in modern era, religion is not in the center, but therapy; however, according to the author, psychology and medicine brought no success in medical treatments or human satisfaction. Therefore, there are new pieces of work emerging, considering another form of treatment, not medical nor psychological, but a spiritual one.

       In history, humans have turned from community to individuality which has led to ego’s need for constant satisfaction. However, the author sees this as a futile endeavor of humans as such achieved hedonism is often empty. In that sense, humans should control the ego and turn away from individuality. Hence, the apex of the author’s interest is prayer, as a possibility of a new scientific communication between psychology and medicine, and also religion that has, so far, found no place among these spheres. In prayer, man regards others and needs to communicate, therefore, there is always a communication and such attitude towards the others is named ’ecology of the soul’, a new way of ecological consciousness. It is about considering man’s place in the world. The author realizes that the consequence of an unreligious attitude towards the world is a technical relation to it (the relation of means toward the aim) that transfers into man’s power and control over nature.

       There is a historical division of medicine and medical treatment where the last era – the era of transpersonal medicine is being seen as giving way to prayer in the healing treatment. Prayer is not limited to any locality, but is unlimited in terms of time and space. Prayer, which allows dislocation in time and space, is in this sense seen as a new scientific paradigm that would nurture ecological consciousness. To support the idea, the author invokes the words of Hippocrates who said that there is an impact of conscious thought on the body. In that respect, the paper presents a number of studies, in which prayer has been scientifically examined throughout history, which, although with certain weaknesses and drawbacks, could definitely show that prayer had certain beneficial impact on people’s health, especially regarding patients with terminal diseases.

       Although the author does not consider religion more thoroughly in the paper, she does give insight into the possibility of medicine and religion dialogue in medical treatments and does emphasize the importance of prayer as spiritual treatment that can improve patients’ health condition. Hence, the paper calls for further research into correlation between these fields and science and religion themselves, as well as for a stronger religious engagement in medical treatment.