Keep The Faith magazine - Britain's leading publication about Black faith

Rev Stephen Brooks looks at the increased use of alternative therapies amongst Christians, and asks whether this development is biblical

 
When conventional medicine fails, it is quite natural to do everything to escape suffering, and to search for alternative modes of healing. Isn’t it legitimate to help yourself and to pursue new routes to health and wellbeing?  

Alternative Therapies, also known as complementary and non-orthodox medicine, have dramatically risen in popularity over the past decade. It has been estimated that one in seven people in the UK visits unorthodox practitioners for treatment.
 
Alternative Therapies refer to medical practices that are not in conformity with the standards of the medical community, or which are not being widely taught at medical schools. Most therapies fall into one of three categories:

·    External - includes massage and manipulation (eg. acupuncture, aromatherapy, reflexology, osteopathy)
·    Internal - involves swallowing medicines (eg. herbalism, homoeopathy)
·    Psychic - either psychological in origin, or using the paranormal (eg. hypnotherapy, astral projection, transcendental meditation).

Frequently, the methods are viewed and practised in the framework of Eastern-mystical models. It is not only natural healing that is being promoted, but ancient mysteries in the new garments of obscure spirituality - a marriage of science and religion.

You will find there are different opinions regarding alternative medicine even among Christians, and the question is usually asked: Is it possible to promote the positive aspects of alternative medicine within the framework of a Christian world view? How can we discern between the various methods? More than ever, we need wisdom to use those remedies and practices, which have a natural basis without mystical overtones.

Alternative medicines are making inroads alongside traditional treatments in the NHS.  Therapies, such as massage, reflexology and aromatherapy, are increasingly being employed for cancer patients in hospitals and hospices, as in the Oncology Unit at the Northampton General Hospital.  The Maternity Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford offers aromotherapy, using clary sage oil in order to induce labour. In the future, the number of patients referred to alternative therapists by GPs may rise due to recent funding changes in the NHS, whereby GPs have their own budgets, and have a greater incentive to refer patients to alternative healers because of their relatively low cost and increasing popularity.

Recent research has identified the regular users of alternative medicines in London are more likely to be women, of African origin, and of higher socioeconomic status, of which many belong to a religious group or church. We need to be mindful that non-orthodox medicines in this country may be traditional medicine elsewhere in the world.  Some ethnic minority groups hold health beliefs and practices that are inherent within their culture, but may seem unorthodox within the boundaries of modern Western medical practices. Therefore, careful discernment is necessary.

To help us to determine ethically sound practices, we can use four criteria:

1. Philosophical background: The Bible lets us know that “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit” (Luke 6:43).  A review of the literature on the origins of many alternative healing systems shows that they are rooted in the mystical or occult, which are clearly religions other than Christianity (eg. crystal therapy, transcendental meditation), and shoud be an obvious no-go area for Christians. However, other therapies like aromatherapy are advocated by Christian practitioners, who believe the therapy is God-given, and should not be dismissed because it is also of interest to non-Christian practitioners.

2. Explanation: Some mystical herbalists explain part of the efficacy of their remedies as a consequence of sowing and harvesting them during specific phases of the moon, or through homeopathic potentialisation. Thus, they are using overtly magical models of explanation. On the other hand, there is ample evidence of herbal extracts given in a sufficient dose, which ultimately have been created by God, and which do not require magical enhancement.

3. Scientific evidence: Can the claims of a method or a remedy be confirmed by scientific validation? Evidence is positive for many herbal remedies, where studies have shown effective ingredients which can powerfully influence bodily functions.

4. Current application of a method: This is the most important, as it addresses the tension between alternative medicine and the Christian faith. Is the method being practised being intermingled with occult models and obscure practices? ie. is the practitioner using massage to relax tense muscles, or is he claiming to transfer mystical energies? It may be helpful to read the literature on the methods a practitioner uses to get an understanding of its philosophical origin.

Ultimately, the deciding factor is whether or not an alternative medicine can be separated from the philosophy associated with the medicine or treatment. If inserting needles into a person's body at strategic points results in physical healing or relief from pain, does it matter if the practitioner is wrong about why it works, as truth is more important than fact? While a Christian should wholeheartedly reject the Taoist Yin-Yang philosophy of acupuncture, there is nothing inherently unbiblical about the acupuncture procedure itself.

In summary, we need to be aware of alternative methods, which

·    build on a concept of cosmic energies to improve health
·    are primarily based on anecdotal evidence
·    seem to be neutral in themselves, but are being used in connection with New Age teachings and techniques

Let us take personal responsibility for our health, and be aware of the God-given self-healing powers within us. It is important that we give our mind and body time to regenerate. As a wound needs time to heal, so does our whole body, and there is a good chance that even emotional wounds tend to heal over time.

As with everything, Christians are to be wise and discerning. We are free to follow our convictions, as long as they are biblically sound and bathed in prayer.

Rev Stephen Brooks is National Development Manager for Excell 3 (National Black Boys Association). Visit www.blackboyscan.co.uk