The Faith Factor: 1god, Medicine, and Healing

It is ironic how many people try to use science to disprove a healing God. Meanwhile, this book uses science quite eloquently and articulately to demonstrate the healing power of God. "Faith Factor" is a good longitudinal review of the literature linking faith and health. Although Mathews is a Christian, he tries desperately (and I believe successfully) to keep his own faith from biasing the book by examining how faith in any religion seems to improve health.

Gives amazing evidence on the effects of prayer on the health and recovery of medical patients. Includes this charge to the medical profession:"It is entirely possible that, a century from now, people will look back at twentieth-century medicine and say, 'Can you believe that those doctors never prayed with their patients? Just think how many lives could have been saved-if only they had set up intercessory-prayer teams in every hospital as we have today!' Will they be as stunned then that we didn't pray for our patients as we would be today if doctors didn't wash their hands before treating patients' wounds?" (Dale Matthews, The Faith Factor, p. 58) I sent it to three physicials I know to consider incorporation into their practice. This book is not for the religious per se, but the medical profession. Very encouraging!