Saints, demons, and faith - A review of the historical interaction between Christianity and epilepsy.

The view that epilepsy is caused by demonic possession prevailed throughout the Middle Ages and re-emerges in rare cases of misguided exorcisms even in modern Western societies. This review reflects on the biblical sources of the demonic understanding of seizures and the subsequent marginalization of people with epilepsy. While the development of science led to a decline in beliefs of supernatural causes of seizures, the link between Christianity and epileptology is sustained through recurrent considerations of epileptic phenomena among religious figures. The influence of epilepsy on the legacy of historical persons of Christianity should be regarded with caution because of limited clinical evidence in historical documents. However, it should be acknowledged that religious experiences, as well as general religiosity, can be important in modern-day epilepsy care as they are shown to have psychological, societal, and even clinical implications. Further studies should expand our knowledge on the contemporary importance of the Christian tradition for people with epilepsy.

Comparison of Household Perceptions and Practices of Food and Water Emergency Preparedness Between Latter-Day Saints and Non-Latter-Day Saints in the USA.

This study evaluated whether Latter-day Saints have more favorable perceptions and practices of food and water emergency preparedness than other households. Individuals across 46 states in the USA completed an online survey in 2014 (n = 572). Results indicated that Latter-day Saints, compared to Non-Latter-day Saints, were more likely to have a disaster supplies kit, to have long-term food storage, to have preserved food by canning/bottling, and to perceive neighborhood/community connectedness. Latter-day Saints had significantly lower odds of having less than one month of food storage available compared to Non-Latter-day Saints. Our findings suggest Latter-day Saints may be better prepared to handle a disaster than Non-Latter-day Saints.

Saints and "Possession": A Case Review Bordering Ethnopsychiatry and Cultural Diversity.

The migrations of modern times have exposed psychiatrists and other medical experts to elements from other cultures which have to be recognised and discerned from pathology. In the present paper, we offer an overview of both historical and modern witnessings of various kinds of "possession", with shedding light on the whole process of diagnostics-taking into account all aspects that make a person as an individual: with particular emphasis on origin, lifestyle, moral values, and ethical norms what is sometimes easily associable with culture-bound phenomena, and sometimes overstepping the border of clinical disturbance, to maximise the possibility of recovery.

Religious Discrimination Scale: Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation.

This study presents the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Religious Discrimination Scale (RDS). This 11-item instrument identified three dimensions based on perceived discrimination experiences of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS): Perceived Prejudice, Closet Symptoms, and Negative Labels. The psychometric evaluations of the RDS indicated a strong and clear factor structure as well as good internal consistency reliability. The test of measurement and structural invariance across gender also suggested that the RDS scale is equally appropriate to be used with both men and women. Implications for practice and research as well as future directions are discussed.

Study of Spiritual Health Determinants in Indian Saints (Sadhus) at Ujjain Kumbh Mela (Simhast) 2016.

Spirituality is the oldest and most intrinsic health determinant. Unfortunately, it has surfed rough weather for a reasonable time. In spite of this chronic inattention, still in India we have established communes (saints) who thrive on spiritual living. Though they are an integral part to Indian society, their spiritual health and its determining factors are difficult to find. This study was to estimate the 'spiritual score and rank' of Indian saints and explore its psychological and social associates and predicates. Development of spirituality in Indian saints is practice oriented and multidimensional. This study was conducted in 2016-2017; data collection was done during Kumbh Mela (Simhasta) at Ujjain from 17th May to 16th June 2016. Spiritual health assessment was done by 'spiritual assessment inventory' (SAI), mental health by 'GAINN-SS' and pertinent social factors by self-designed pretested questionnaire. Descriptive, Chi-square, ANOVA and ordinal regression analysis were done by SPSS version 20. Data from 962 participants were analyzed. Their clan breakup stands at: 459 (47.7%) as Shiva followers/Shaviates, 251 (26.1%) Vishnu followers/Vaishnavites and 252 (26.2%) belonged to neutral/Sikhism clan. The mean age for participants was 54.6 years (SD ± 14.65), and mean spiritual score 165.18 (SD ± 10.78). 49.3% cases recorded a spiritual grade ≥ 'good.' Majority had formal education till 10th standard; 576 (60%) and 717 (74.5%) did not raise a family. Gurus (spiritual teachers) imparted spiritual training to 685 (71%), and Puranas (spiritual and moral scriptures) provided spiritual knowledge to 319 (33%). Worldly detachment was the objective in 249 (77%) for pursuance of spiritual life. Both Chi-square and ANOVA showed significant (p ≤ .05) associations of spirituality with participants hailing from spiritual (p ≤ .03) and religious (p ≤ .02) inclined families. Partisan from Vaishnavite clan (Akhada) demonstrated better grade (p ≤ .00). Self-motivated subjects under the guidance of Gurus recorded strong associations with spiritual scale. Role of family and friends was noticeable associates to spirituality. Attainment of nirvana and serving the society had notable spiritual associations. Ordinal regression analysis model also lends support (p < .05) to the clan factor, family background, role of religious and spiritual scriptures, motivation from self- and close quarters, objective of attainment of enlightenment and daily yogic and religious practices as notable factors with positive prediction potentials for spiritual growth. Like other health domain, spirituality has its own determinants which are intrinsic and interdependent. 49.3% of cases scoring spiritual grade ≥ 'good' need to be noted.

Madness, Medicine and Miracle in Twelfth-Century England.

This monograph provides a fresh perspective on how madness was defined and diagnosed as a condition of the mind in the Middle Ages and what effects it was thought to have on sufferers. Records of miracles that were believed to have been performed by saints reveal details of illnesses and injuries that afflicted medieval people. In the twelfth century, such records became increasingly medicalized and naturalized as the monks who recorded them gained access to Greek and Arabic medical material, newly translated into Latin. Nonetheless, by exploring nuances and patterns across the cults of five English saints, this book shows that hagiographical representations of madness were shaped as much by the individual circumstances of their recording as they were by new medical and theological standards.

Perceived Perfectionism from God Scale: Development and Initial Evidence.

In this study, the Perceived Perfectionism from God Scale (PPGS) was developed with Latter-day Saints (Mormons) across two samples. Sample 1 (N = 421) was used for EFA to select items for the Perceived Standards from God (5 items) and the Perceived Discrepancy from God (5 items) subscales. Sample 2 (N = 420) was used for CFA and cross-validated the 2-factor oblique model as well as a bifactor model. Perceived Standards from God scores had Cronbach alphas ranging from .73 to .78, and Perceived Discrepancy from God scores had Cronbach alphas ranging from .82 to .84. Standards from God scores were positively correlated with positive affect, whereas Discrepancy from God scores was positively correlated with negative affect, shame and guilt. Moreover, these two PPGS subscale scores added significant incremental variances in predicting associated variables over and above corresponding personal perfectionism scores.

Cultural and Religious Perspective on the Sufi Shrines.

This paper explains the Sufi shrines which hold great importance in Pakistani society. The Shrines inhabit a vital position in the cultural and social as well as religious and culture life of rituals, Saints, traditional belief, sounds, trance, dance, music in ethnic healing, and spiritual illness/disease. It is not only a place of belief and devotion based on Sufi shrines but a place where Muslims and non-Muslim take part in happiness activities together. The design and architecture of the Sufi Shrines have local as well as worldwide influences, representative spiritual, belief systems, economic, and esthetic dimensions of Muslim social institute. Therefore, Muslims' association with the Sufi Shrines has much importance from traditional, political, social and economic perspectives. Centered on an ethnographic illustration, this research aims to highlight the use of Sufi Shrines space and Peoples' Perceptions about Visiting Sufi shrines in the ethnic perspective of rural and urban Sindh. In addition to discuss the socio spatial interactions about the Sufi shrines, this study has discovered that majority of the people and visitors have strong belief systems upon the blessings of Sufis and they visit shrines to fulfill their social, economic, physical, mental and spiritual wishes.

"Holy anorexia"-relevant or relic? Religiosity and anorexia nervosa among Finnish women.

Since medieval times, an association between religiosity and anorexia nervosa has been suggested, but few systematic studies exist. This study examines in a nationwide setting whether personal or family religiosity is associated with lifetime anorexia nervosa among women in adolescence and early adulthood. Women (N = 2,825) from the 1975 to 1979 birth cohorts of Finnish twins were screened for lifetime DSM-5 anorexia nervosa (N = 92). Parental religiosity was assessed by self-report when the women were aged 16 years. The women self-reported their religiosity at ages 16 and 22 to 27 years. Parental religiosity did not increase the risk of lifetime anorexia nervosa, and neither did religiosity of the women themselves in adolescence. In early adulthood, a J-shaped curve was compatible with the data, indicating increased risk both at low and high levels of religiosity, but this result was statistically non-significant. Religiosity was weakly negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction. There was some suggestive evidence for socioregional variation in the association of religiosity with lifetime anorexia nervosa. In this first population study to directly address religiosity and anorexia nervosa, no evidence was found for a significant association of religiosity with anorexia nervosa either at the personal or family level. Some regional differences are possible. A modest protective association of religiosity with body dissatisfaction is also possible. Despite compelling case descriptions of "holy anorexia," religiosity does not appear to be a central factor in the development of anorexia nervosa in Finland, a highly secularized Christian country.

Religious narratives and their implications for disaster risk reduction.

The role of religious factors in the disaster experience has been under-investigated. This is despite evidence of their influence throughout the disaster cycle, including: the way in which the event is interpreted; how the community recovers; and the strategies implemented to reduce future risk. This qualitative study examined the role of faith in the disaster experience of four faith communities in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. Twenty-six individuals from the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), and United Methodist Church communities participated, including 10 faith leaders and 16 laypersons. The results suggest that religious narratives provide a framework for interpretation of, preparedness for, and responses to disasters. Preparedness varied widely across faith communities, with the LDS community reporting greater levels of preparedness than other communities. Recommendations include the development of collaborative efforts between disaster managers and faith leaders to increase preparedness within faith communities, which may facilitate community-wide disaster risk reduction.

Effects of dredging at Aratu port in All Saints Bay, Brazil: monitoring the metal content in water and sediments.

This work reports the chemical monitoring of saline water and sediments at Aratu port, All Saints Bay, Brazil, when subjected to a deep dragging process (DDP) over a 2-year period (2010-2012). The aim of this work was to detect which metals had possible deleterious effects on the biota. It analyzed percentage of silt + clay and TOC and metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) before, during, and after the DDP. The determination of metal concentration in sediments used the following techniques: atomic absorption spectrometer with flame, also with hydrate generation, and cold vapor spectrophotometry. The DDP disturbed the concentrations of metals in sediments and water, but 15 months after the DDP, only Cu and Zn were detectable on the bottom saline water, and 20 months after the DDP, only Zn was detectable in water. This fact indicates that these metals were longer available for absorption by the marine biota with probable deleterious effect. Indeed, studies by others during the DDP in Aratu port, indicated the decrease from 50 to 40 of the number of microalgae species identified. On the other hand, in the sediments, 20 months after the DDP, the concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Hg, returned to the original values, but Ni and Zn did not return to their original values. Comparison with studies by others indicated that the sediments from dredging were inappropriate for disposal at sea. This work indicated that the metals Cu, Ni, and Zn are the most deleterious elements to the marine environment.

The harmonious relationship between faith and science from the perspective of some great saints: A brief comment.

The objective of this editorial is to show that a harmonious relationship between science and faith is possible, as exemplified by great saints of the Catholic Church. It begins with the definitions of science and faith, followed by an explanation of the apparent conflict between them. A few saints that constitute an example that a fruitful relationship between these two seemingly opposed realities has been possible are Saint Albert the Great, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Giuseppe Moscati, and Saint Edith Stein, among others, and this editorial highlights their deep contributions to the dialogue between faith and reason. This editorial ends with a brief discussion on whether it is possible to be both a scientist and a man of faith.

Can the Communion of Saints Help the Search for Justice in Dying well (Enough), "In Abraham's Arms, Where Lazarus is Poor no Longer"?

How can we practice dying in community? What communal practices nourish positive acts that make dying well (enough)-more than prudent caution in avoiding causing death (killing)? What part of our common ecclesial life as Catholics enables us to accompany dying persons as a gracious return to God? We are twice haunted: most first world deaths result from foreseen end-stage illnesses; mortality is less feared than burdensomeness for caregivers from vulnerable dependence. Of those who die in the hospital, many deaths result from decisions to withhold and withdraw treatments. From ten kinds of desolation about dying, ten parallel consolations are discerned in hopes and outcomes-based best practices.

Is Aesthetic Good? A Study on the Aesthetic and Vitality Judgment of Pictorial Representations of the Dead, Saints and Non-Saints.

In the history of the Western world, there has always been an association between good and beautiful. Starting from a brief history of beauty, two questions arise: is beauty linked to good even in art? How important are people's religious beliefs in aesthetic and vitality judgments? The psychology of art could answer these questions by studying people's reactions to the images of Saints as testimonials of goodness. Moreover, the study of Saints' paintings would allow us to investigate vitality, understood as one's perception of a living being. The research aimed to investigate the aesthetic and vitality judgments of faces representing the dead, Saints and non-Saints. More than a hundred participants were asked to evaluate the aesthetics and vitality of these paintings; moreover, two tests assessing spirituality and religiosity were administered. Overall, these data suggest Saints were judged more beautiful than non-Saints, and non-Saints were judged more vital than Saints. This might suggest a relationship between ethics and aesthetics, also in the perception of art, and offers reflections on the theme of vitality. The religion and spirituality of participants are not correlated to aesthetic or vitality judgments; this fact could support that these judgments are linked to the basic bottom-up reactions to images.

[Saints and urology : The right saint for every disease]. / Heilige und die Urologie : "Für jede Krankheit den richtigen Heiligen".

During Medieval and Renaissance times up to the 19th century hagiotherapy was a common part of many different health offerings in society. Within the field of urology, kidney stone disease and venereal (sexually transmitted) diseases were the favourite subjects. Even today, the names of St. Libory, St. Roche, St. Apollinaire and St. Dionysius are common within the culture of remembrance in Europe and the USA.

Milestones in the History of Pediatric Surgery During the Byzantine Times

During the Byzantine Times, medicine and surgery developed as Greek physicians continued to practice in Constantinople. Healing methods were common for both adults and children, and pediatrics as a medical specialty did not exist. Already Byzantine hospitals became institutions to dispense medical services, rather than shelters for the homeless, which included doctors and nurses for those who suffered from the disease. A major improvement in the status of hospitals as medical centers took place in this period, and physicians were called archiatroi. Several sources prove that archiatroi were still functioning in the late sixth century and long afterward, but now as xenon doctors. Patients were averse to surgery due to the incidence of complications. The hagiographical literature repeated allusions to doctors. Concerns about children with a surgical disease often led parents to seek miraculous healings achieved by Christian Protectors - Saints. This paper is focused on three eminent Byzantine physicians and surgeons, Oribasius, Aetius of Amida, Paul of Aegina, who dealt with pediatric operations and influenced the European Medicine for centuries to come. We studied historical and theological sources in order to present a comprehensive picture of the curative techniques used for pediatric surgical diseases during the Byzantine Times.

Religious Myths and their Historical Heritage: How did Saints Cosmas and Damian become Patron Saints of Surgery? - From the Miracle of the Black Legs to 21st Century Transplant Medicine - .

This paper explores the heritage and the essential significance of worship of the twin Christian saints -St. Cosmas and St. Damian- in the history of medicine. These saints are well known in Western culture as one of the leading Christian saints to heal diseases, whose cults have spread to Europe through Byzantium, which have continued to spread widely to the present, starting from areas where Christianity had been proselytized. Although it is true that their life journeys have undergone many processes of embellishment and beautification over the course of time, the attributes that distinctively characterize the two saints exist apart from such mythical fabrications. This paper categorizes the characteristics of the two saints as being those of "professional doctors," "ideal doctors," and "holders of healing powers" as intermediaries of God, examining how these characteristics came to affect various medical organizations during the era when Medieval medicine was gradually transitioning toward a rational approach based on reason. In addition, it discusses how some of the practices of ancient temple medicine were transplanted into the Christian culture, the process by which it finally arrived at human doctors through the two saints, and how it affected the establishment of professional work ethics -albeit in nascent form- as their medical ethics came to be accepted and practiced by the Medieval guild of surgeons. Furthermore, the paper considers how the existence of the two saints has acquired symbolism in modern medicine, which has made remarkable progress in organ transplantation, and in particular, how it constitutes a significant part of the history of organ transplantation. It is not easy to objectify and attach meaning to an era that was substantially influenced by myths, legends, or religious events. This is because it is easy to fall into the trap of simplifying and passing judgment on the past based on the realities of the present day, without making efforts to understand the unique circumstances and contexts of the past. This is especially the case when the distinction between "religious events" and "medical events" is ambiguous, or when dealing with a social culture where religious influence was paramount. From a broader perspective, the study of St. Cosmas and St. Damian is not concerned with the rights or wrongs of religious myths amid the advancement of medicine and its adherence to science and reason, but with the attempt at a deep and broad understanding of human diseases and human conditions of being prone to such diseases throughout life.

[Protector Saints Against Plague Epidemics - Analysis of the Examples from the Sacral Patrimonies of the Cites of Rijeka and Osijek] / Svetci zastitnici protiv epidemija kuge ­ analiza primjera iz sakralnih bastina Rijeke i Osijeka

Plague epidemics have remained in the collective consciousness until nowadays remembered as the deadliest. Therefore, it is not surprising that the answers to them throughout history have been not only medical but also religious. The previously mentioned will be analyzed in this paper through the cults of the protector saints against the plague epidemics that have developed in two Croatian cities of comparable size, Rijeka and Osijek, but with the diametrically opposed geographical positions and, accordingly, quite different historical developments. On the one hand, a more detailed overview of the development of the cults of various saints present in the mentioned cities will be presented. On the other hand, based on their presentation in the sacral heritage of these cities, the broader context of the time and space in which they have developed will be lightened. Particular attention will be paid to their medical connotations.

Beatification of Cardinal Henry Newman.

Claims of a miracle cure require objective and thorough investigation with a review of all contemporaneous medical records. This paper describes instances of apparent miraculous recoveries from fatal or incurable illnesses. Following more rigorous review of the medical documentation, when available, a different story emerges. Misdiagnosis and/or appropriate treatment account for the best cases.