GOD, FAITH AND HEALTH

Jeff Levin is one of the leading researchers in the burgeoning religion and health field. In this book he sums up the findings and implications of scientific research that show how religious and spiritual practice impacts on our health, often many years down the line. He coins the term 'theosomatic medicine' as a means of conveying the effect of Spirit on the body, going one stage further than psychosomatic, or indeed George Engel's terms biopsychosocial. Levin divides his analysis into three sections: the health effects of public religion, those of private spirituality, and a final part on God, Spirit and the Future of Medicine.

At the beginning he makes his own distinction between religion (behaviours, attitudes, beliefs, experiences) and spirituality (as a state of being acquired through religious devotion) and sets out his seven main principles of theosomatic medicine, which are then explained in detail in the course of the book: Religious affiliation benefits health by promoting healthy behaviour and lifestyles Regular religious fellowship benefits health by offering social support that buffers the effects of stress and isolation Participation in worship and prayer benefits health through the physiological effects of positive emotions Religious beliefs benefit health by their similarity to health-promoting beliefs and lifestyles Faith benefits health by leading to thoughts of hope, optimism and positive expectation Mystical experiences benefit health by activating healing bioenergy or life force or altered states of consciousness Absent prayer for others is capable of healing by paranormal means or by divine intervention These principles then lead to a number of key links, which are in turn backed up by the research cited, for instance effects of social support, positive emotions, positive expectations, altered states of consciousness and 'intercession'. Each chapter is introduced by a relevant personal experience – in some cases the author's own – and concludes with some general reflections and specific questions that readers may like to ask themselves. Levin's own most striking experience involved intercessory healing after a bad fall in which he cracked a couple of ribs and was unable to use his arms possible. The recuperation period was telescoped from six weeks to a day and a half! In deference to his colleagues' scepticism, he went around in a sling for a week in case this rate of recovery was too shocking for their belief systems!

All major health indicators are implicated in the effects of spirituality, and Levin cites extensive research in support of his claims. This can leave the reader in no doubt that the studies are all pointing in the same general direction, and that the medical community as a whole needs to pay attention to this field. Network readers will find the chapter on mystical experience of particular interest, especially the finding that there is a negative correlation between incidence of mystical experience and institutional religion. Interestingly, positive effects stem from both mystical and paranormal experiences. Levin and his colleague Dr. Harold Vanderpool coin the term 'superempirical' (not supernatural) to characterise the hypothetical energy or state of consciousness involved.

In his final chapter, Levin considers progress made towards a theosomatic model implying traditional definition of the human being as body-mind-spirit. Here he reflects the work of Laurence Foss in pushing towards a research-based mind-body model, but shares Larry Dossey's extension of this concept to nonlocality of mind and its role in distant healing. He finds the tripartite nature of the human being reflected not only in Christianity, but also in Hebraic, Theosophical and Native American traditions. Many scientists and physicians are still stuck in Dossey's Era I of body-only medicine, where consciousness is a mere epiphenomenon and the cutting edge of research consists of more powerful drugs and increasingly sophisticated surgical techniques or genetic manipulation. This worldview forms a barrier to progress by systematically excluding soul and spirit from what it means to be human. However, DSM IV does now include a category specifying psychological implications of spiritual life, and much research into spirituality and health has been sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. Levin sees the future of medicine in terms of an integrated approach founded on a body-mind-spirit perspective, and his book is a significant step in helping bring about this much needed revolution.