SPIRITUAL HEALING RESEARCH DEPT., WAS
This is a new project, THE SPIRITUAL HEALING RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, WAS. Of all of our projects this is the most exciting and important. Up until now the biblical archaeology department was the most important, but spiritual healing research is truly the most important, because it puts the bible to great use now - just what Jesus had in mind and wanted. And the need is enormous.
As we explore back to the time of Jesus and the other inspired characters of the bible, I know that we will think many times of, and be inspired by, one of our old WAS pen friends the late James Nelson Goodsell, Latin America Editor of the Christian Science Monitor, Boston. He was a Peabody Award recipient. He helped your writer so much with words of encouragement during the early years of the WAS and even before when I was doing other writing in archaeology/anthropology/art history and on a few other subjects as well. I was putting out mimeo newsletters and even before that pitiful, unreadable, blue gelatin letters re. global archaeological news, and blogging away therein long before blogging we know today. That wordiness and need for expression, led to newspaper columns and national and international articles (a few articles in the Monitor), poems, stories, photos and illustrations. I was the Group Photographer one time in the Army and also still do photography.
But, Mr. Goodsell would always find time to send me a few encourageing words in what had to have been a very pressing schedule covering all of Latin America for his world class, Pulitizer Prize-winning newspaper the Monitor. And, by the way, his informative, well written articles and the other Monitor articles as well were also quite an inspiration and education for me. I studied issues carefully and still do. They elevate journalism to the highest level I know. And this comes from one who used to play as a kid outside of what was once Walter William's office at Mizzou's J School and watches the field very closely. James or "Jim" as many of his friends and associates called him (I was never up to that level) graduated from the University of the Americas in Mexico City. I spoke a little Spanish (not as well as he did) and took students down to Mexico City. Also, he was very much interested in archaeology; Mexico itself is practically one big dig. So, with much pleasure, we will take off on one of the most exciting practical expeditions around at some great sites around the old Mediterranean and think of his good work often. We'll try to add a little to the reconstruction of those old days. And, something else that must be pointed out...it was the lady who founded the Monitor, Mary Baker Eddy in the first place, who said she wanted to have a church that did exactly what Jesus did and talked about so often "Healing the sick, casting out demons, cleansing the lepers and raising the dead." His mission in fact was an order for all of us today to do likewise. And, I thought that since we are in archaeology, anthropology (study of Man and Woman and Child) why not explore all this, and maybe add some color and archaeological background, and no telling what we might excavate. And by the way, Mrs. Eddy wrote in a very scientific, scholarly, literary way, which is also an inspiration for us. She was way ahead of her time and still is. Her discoveries about spiritual healing are great. Of monumental importance to scholarship/biblical archaeology and the human race, she carefully studied the healings of Jesus and the entire Bible, and with much prayer, deduction and inspiration figured out how it all worked, proved it scientifically and then presented findings for everyone's benefit (see: www.motherchurch.com). At times we will also mention other denominations. Ron Miller, Apr. 9, 2008.
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Our main focus is the New and Old Testament. We are excavating down from the present to the healing days of Jesus...and then to the healing works of Moses, who Jesus obviously studied closely, and looking at much helpful material inbetween...and exploring some other cultures and their healing as well. The writings so far in this dept. have been put on a disk and available. See the end of this writing for details.
Among others, traditional medical researchers will want this CD. Included are your writer's nine newspaper columns "The Physicians of Love; the Story of Christian Spiritual Healing." This series is what got the research ball rolling. The columns were very well received locally, what with people wanting to visit in grocery stores, on the street, and with phone calls. I had no idea there was so much interest out there.
I had grown up in a family that believed in spiritual-bible-Jesus healing and benefited much by it.
Also included are two columns about the late Pope John Paul II and what he says about Jesus' saying on fear (fear is one of the big causes of illness). John Paul was so interested in what Jesus said on fear, that he made "Be Not Afraid" by-words for his Papacy. In these columns are included some reference to his talks when visiting the U.S. one time. The PR lady at Catholic University, Washington, DC kindly sent me transcripts. Dr. Switzer, the famed missionary to Africa who received his M.D. degree in his 30s had some ideas on how to heal war. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale had an entire chapt. on spiritual healing in his famous book: "The Power of Positive Thinking." Included is some information on Mary Baker Eddy a minister, writer and former homeopathic physician made some great scientific discoveries explaing how Jesus' healing methods worked - the hows, whys and wherefores. Her knowledge of the bible was great, and she talked much about the difference between the Spiritual(the true) and the material...and mind (small m) and Mind (large M - God/Spirit). She had to battle many good ole' boys in an age when women were supposed to be wall ornaments or drudges. Reading her works requires thinking. It's fascinating. What she did and better than any other scholar on the subject was so-called:
"applied scholarship," putting the scholarship to work, and it is proven to work, so, Jesus was right on...and most fascinating of all...scientific proof that there really is a God...the methodology of Jesus works. This is devastating for the humanist movement.
The ancient Greeks healed spiritually. The Greek people knew all about the healers Asklepios, Apollo, Chiron (a centaur), Epione (wife of Asklepios), and the daughters of Asklepios, especially Panacea and Healing, and also their sons. I tell about some of this in a story: The Eerie Masks of the Asklepion (it first appeared as a column in the above mentioned newspaper series, The Physicians of Love).
This research is very unique. You won't find much like it out there. The traditional medical/drug, material thinking is all powerful in most minds. It rules the media. Meanwhile, citizens are missing out, trapped and wallets depleted. And we now have a miserable sickocracy. Big drug empires, cold, are all-powerful dieties. Fortunately, the bible to the rescue. The Baptist minister Henry Halley called it "the Old Anvil" and said: "It has worn out many a hammer of criticism but just goes right on helping people."
One reason we like the study here at the WAS is because we like practical archaeology...putting studies to work today. And, this is the best "dig" yet. Lot's of misery out there that can be healed spiritually - and not just medical problems. It is exciting.
Will continue to add notes here from time to time.
The research is constantly in progress.
For a CD of your writer's studies, send a check or money order for $25.00 - made out to Ron Miller - to Ron Miller WAS, 120 Lakewood Drive, Hollister, MO 65672.
Other countries add $5.00 for S&H.
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