Outcomes of Intercessory Prayer for those who are Ill

Abstract

Intercessory prayer for those who are ill is a common religious practice not only by individuals but also by communities of faith. Although such prayer has much religious meaning, is there scientific evidence that it brings about the outcomes for which it asks? The scientific literature investigating the efficacy of intercessory prayer for the ill and the difficulties in putting prayer to scientific scrutiny is explored in this article. Overall, studies have yielded mixed results and have been criticized (on a scientific basis) as having methodological flaws such as small sample size, varied end-points, varied definitions of prayer, and varied expertise of “intercessors.” Such studies have also been critiqued on metaphysical and religious grounds, namely, that God's actions cannot (and should not be) subjected to scientific scrutiny.