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God, Faith, and Health: Exploring the Spirituality-Healing Connection »

Book cover image of God, Faith, and Health: Exploring the Spirituality-Healing Connection by Jeff Levin

Authors: Jeff Levin, Larry Dossey
ISBN-13: 9780471218937, ISBN-10: 0471218936
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Date Published: July 2002
Edition: (Non-applicable)

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Author Biography: Jeff Levin

JEFF LEVIN, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and former medical school professor, is the pioneering scientist whose research beginning in the 1980s helped create the field of religion, spirituality, and health. He has been featured in Time and the Washington Post as well as on NPR. He lives with his wife, Dr. Lea Steele, in Kansas.

Book Synopsis

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Jeff Levin explores the latest compelling evidence of the connection between health and an array of spiritual beliefs and practices, including prayer, attending religious services, meditation, and faith in God. Drawing on his own and other published studies, Dr. Levin shows how religion's emphasis on healthy behaviors and supportive relationships influences one's overall health and how the optimism and hopefulness of those who profess faith promote the body's healing responses. Filled with dramatic personal stories, God, Faith, and Health will alter the way you think about your body and your faith and will show you the path to improving your own health through spiritual practice.

"Jeff Levin writes with incredible clarity, style, and passion. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the religion-health connection, especially those wondering if such a connection exists at all."
-Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, and author of The Healing Power of Faith

"Beautifully written and packed with compelling scientific evidence for the spirituality-health connection . . . . With the precision of a scientist, the courage of a true pioneer, and the artistry of a storyteller, Levin reminds us of what we can no longer afford to ignore: that our spiritual life matters mightily to our health and well-being at every level."
-Janet F. Quinn, Ph.D., R.N., Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Nursing

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction1
Pt. 1The Health Effects of Public Religion17
1Religious Affiliation and a Healthy Lifestyle19
2Religious Fellowship and Spiritual Support45
Pt. 2The Health Effects of Private Spirituality71
3The Emotional Impact of Worship73
4Religious Beliefs, Healthy Beliefs97
5Faith, Hope, and Optimism125
Pt. 3God, Spirit, and the Future of Medicine151
6Energy, Consciousness, and Mysticism153
7To Heal Is Divine181
8From Body-Mind to Body-Mind-Spirit205
References225
Index248

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