Sunday September 18, 11AM

We have read how, in recent times, scientific studies have been undertaken to assess the efficacy of prayer as an aid to the healing process. Churches have lists of persons "to pray for" ; skeptics try to show that this is wishful thinking whereas believers try to give statistical evidence to show that even in so called "blind studies " prayer at any distance can affect the person for whom one prays.

In any case "there are no skeptics in the trenches" and everyone, willing or unwilling, tries to affect outcomes, be they basketball games, hurricanes, battles or  urgent surgeries with prayer and/or meditation. We are all "hard wired to believe", and most of us do not wish to unwire.
 For most of human history the roles of priest and healer were synonymous. Ritual, invocation, meditation, elaborate sacrifice, hallucinogen induced trances, in addition to garden variety "normal" prayer  have all been used by priests, shamans and pastors to make the lame walk,  the blind see, demons to be cast out or the home team or army victorious.

Our presenters Rev. Cynthia Visscher and Rev. Joan Morris, will survey the results of this history and these studies, with special attention to studies conducted at Duke University and then open the discussion to group participation for the duration of the hour.
   At noon Rev Joan B Morris will conduct an interfaith worship service utilizing prayers and meditations from a variety of religious traditions.
At 3pm the Institute will host Dances of Universal Peace.