CHICAGO -- Christian Science practitioner Shirley Paulson says witnessing the miraculous consequences of prayer has convinced her that patients should be free to choose the kind of health care that works best for them.
But for them to be able to choose, politicians working on health care reform must first learn the difference between Christian Science treatment, which involves prayer, and televangelists or preachers who claim to have divine healing powers, said Paulson, who lives in Glenview, Ill.
Contrary to popular belief, the Church of Christ Scientist, founded in the 19th century by Mary Baker Eddy, does not bar its members from seeking medical treatment. Rather, it encourages believers to conquer their fear, trust God to help them heal and pray first.
Recoveries brought about by prayer are described in magazines titled Christian Science Journal and Christian Science Sentinel available in any Christian Science Reading Room.
Testimonies also can be heard in any Christian Science church on Wednesday nights, when believers meet to share stories of recoveries from illness and injury.
"If we're all going to help each other in this, it would be better for everybody to have more options," Paulson said. "The medical people would be the first to say they don't solve everything. ... So many people came into Christian Science because the medical world didn't help them."
Paulson charges a standard $25 per prayer session. The Illinois state employee benefit plan, for example, covers 80 percent of charges for services provided by a Christian Science practitioner or nurse. The military health plan and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program also provide some reimbursement.
But Paulson also serves some patients on a pro bono basis. The reward, she believes, is bringing her patients and herself closer to God.
Tuning into what God is trying to say eventually eclipses or erases the discomfort, she said, adding that the effects can be instantaneous.
With that in mind, Paulson occasionally reduces her fee if the patients do not show immediate signs of progress -- advice given by the mother church, based in Boston.
"The purpose of the healing shouldn't be to gouge people," she said. "If you're not meeting it, then you should reduce your rates. It's a little different from medical models. We just don't expect things to take a long time."
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