A child praying before lunch in the United States, during the Great Depression in 1936
The efficacy of prayer has been studied since at least 1872, generally through experiments to determine whether prayer or intercessory prayer has a measurable effect on the health of the person for whom prayer is offered. A study in 2006 indicates that intercessory prayer in cardiac bypass patients had no discernible effects.[1]
While some religious groups argue that the power of prayer is obvious, others question whether it is possible to measure its effect.[2][3][4] Dr. Fred Rosner, an authority on Jewish medical ethics, has expressed doubt that prayer could ever be subject to empirical analysis.[5] Basic philosophical questions bear upon the question of the efficacy of prayer – for example, whether statistical inference and falsifiability are sufficient to "prove" or to "disprove" anything, and whether the topic is even within the realm of science.[6]
According to The Washington Post, "...prayer is the most common complement to mainstream medicine, far outpacing acupuncture, herbs, vitamins and other alternative remedies." In comparison to other fields that have been scientifically studied, carefully monitored studies of prayer are relatively few. The field remains tiny, with about $5 million spent worldwide on such research each year.[7]
^Carey, Benedict (31 March 2006). "Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013.
^Intercessory Prayer: Modern Theology, Biblical Teaching And Philosophical Thought by Philip Clements-Jewery 2005 ISBN 0-7546-3828-6 page 24-27
^The works of Dr. John Tillotson, Volume 10 by John Tillotson, Thomas Birch 2009 ISBN 0-217-76300-6 pages 99–105
^Talking to God: the theology of prayer by Wayne R. Spear 2002 ISBN 1-884527-13-2 pages 58–61
^Cite error: The named reference Theo33 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Pigliucci-2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference wapo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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