Healing Practices in the Epistle of James Applied to New Prophetic Churches in South Africa

A social-scientific reading of the healing practices—in reference to the worldview of the author of James (as demonstrated in James 5:13–16)—illustrates that he encouraged the laying on of hands and the use of ointment in healing, as well as confessional and communal prayer, to aid the faith of believers in God. The argument within healing ritual theory is that the new prophetic churches in South Africa encourage these healing practices for the purpose of commercialisation, and not necessarily to enhance the faith of their followers. This article will argue that James simply defined sickness as a symptom of the angry spiritual world and recommended that the living appease God through healing rituals. James thus supported healing rituals within the early church, such as prayer, the laying on of hands by elders, and ointment. But James did not make a connection between these practices and the commercialisation of religion. Therefore, a social-scientific reading of James 5:13–16 has scholarly implications when it comes to healing practices in light of the new prophetic churches in South Africa. This study challenges the way in which both scholars and practitioners of faith understand healing practices and the commercialisation of religion.