Healing hands in the context of christianity: The perceived transfer of energy and insight

Abstract

There has been only a limited focus on healing ministries in Protestant Christian congregations in the Nordic context. This contribution argues that the field of diaconia should learn more about healing in the congregational context. This paper empirically investigates healing-hands experiences related to sources from the Christian faith and practices in Norway. We conducted 12 semi structured interviews with both the providers and recipients of perceived healing hands. The informants came from Protestant communities. The findings indicate that healing hands are perceived as a transfer of external power, transmitting both energy and a “heightened clarity of thought providing insights.” The recipients perceive the energy as “warmth” and the providers often perceive it as “electricity.” The recipients described the warmth as relieving stressors such as acute physical pain and long-term stressful experiences. The outcomes could not be predicted or controlled. The findings indicate that the healing-hands phenomenon is not part of the formal work of churches, although treatment may occur in congregational places and private homes. The informants linked the perceived power to the Christian God, but there was no consensus among the informants on how to understand healing hands within the framework of theological language. This paper discusses healing hands and Christian communities of healing ministries in terms of tensions and possibilities.