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When it comes to belief in miracles, Christians are A House Divided.
When 60 minutes did a story on a famous place of miracles, Our Lady of Lourdes, I wasn’t so interested until Bill Whitaker presented their medical team approach.
In my view,
certain Christian groups have overpromised and underdelivered when it comes to
faith healing. The widespread antiscience attitude has been a barrier to many
in the sciences—especially those of us whose work impacts human beings. For the
most part, faith healing extremists have been side-lined but we read about unscientific
and religious approaches to the pandemic promoted as alternatives to what
mainstream medical scientists presented. That’s the context for my scepticism.
A different
but related concern is the word-games people play. If you define miracle
broadly enough, you can call any pleasing event a miracle. Forget about the
work of physicians, nurses, pharmacologists, and the range of specialties on
medical teams involved in the treatment of complex illnesses. If a treated
patient gets well following prayer, “it’s a miracle.” Such rejoicing does
nothing for the credibility of faith when people have been treated with evidenced-based
methods nor do miracle claims reflect expressions of gratitude owed to those
hard working medical team members who assiduously applied their skills linked
to recovery.
Enter Our
Lady of Lourdes. As I mentioned, I wasn’t so interested until the program
revealed the role of physicians in vetting miracle claims. If you watch the
piece you will learn that only 70 medical miracles have been recognized by the
church in 160 years. So many people head to Lourdes. Many are not cured but
7,000 said they were.
According
to those interviewed, a medical team reviews the evidence presented by a person
who claims to be cured. Examinations are ordered and specialists are involved
as needed. One claimant, Sister Bernadette Moriau was sent to two psychiatrists
in Paris. “They wanted to know if I was lying.” She said. It appears some 300
physicians were involved in her case.
What’s pleasing
to me is the limited statement of determination by the medical professionals. Her case was “medically unexplained.” We shouldn't ask scientists to go beyond the boundaries of science. The church determined
Sister Bernadette’s recovery was a miracle—number 70.
Well, the 60 minutes news
piece closes with a truism:
“It's been said about Lourdes:
for those who believe, no
explanation is necessary.
For those who do not, no
explanation is possible.”
As a psychologist, I couldn’t help feeling compassion for all those
thousands who go so far and return home as they were. And I marvel at the low
odds of being dubbed “medically unexplained.”
Reference
CBS News 60 minutes Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
18 December 2022
Link https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sanctuary-of-our-lady-of-lourdes-miracles-cures-2022-12-18/
I write about psychology and religion.
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