I am listening to “The British History Podcast”, offered by Jamie Jeffers. He is American raised and British born and I have very much enjoyed his take and telling of British history. I am still very early on in the cast, when he was talking about Dark Age Medicine.
In the midst
of this episode, he offered an explanation, or rather a clarification, that got
me thinking. In addition to the physical treatments, the various herbs, concoctions, and dung
(they really seemed hung up on dung), there was a huge magical component to the
practice of medicine. Whether it was chanting or an amulet or where a
particular component came from (lichen from a cross for example), there was
more than simply the biological and chemical components that are the foundation
of modern medicine.
His clarification
came for his Christian listeners. Jamie refers to the portions of the healing that
are obviously beyond what modern medicine would practice to be “magic”. At
issue is calling something like prayer or a blessing or the use of a cross to
be ‘magic’. If I am understanding the situation, those objecting to his language
define those practices of Christian origin to be ‘faith-based’, and not ‘magically-based’.
As a pastor,
I do understand that concern. Belief in God Almighty and the power our God provides
is in contrast to magical practices that are understood to be of either ‘dark’
forces or some other supernatural origin. I have my own opinions about that. But this is a fair presentation from a faith-based
point of view. But Jamie is taking a different point of view in the podcast.
He is talking
about Dark Age Medicine in contradistinction to current medicine. There are the
commonalities of herbs with healing properties that are foundational to both ages
of medical practice. Today, the herbs have a lot more complex names but their
biological and chemical foundations are held in common.
And I am fine
with Jamie referring to the rest as ‘magic’. Maybe talking about the medical
practices of the time invoking a ‘transcendent’ component would be more
acceptable language. The healing practices of the Dark Ages reaching ‘beyond’ the immediate is a huge, if not the dominant, piece of the practice. That
transcendent portion of the healing process is still integral to my belief
today, as it is with every faith practice that I am familiar with beyond Christianity. The difference is what ends up in the medical text books.
As we have come to understand how sickness and injury are from the 'natural' order of things, our medical and healing practices have followed. There is a scientific methodology to what we do. It does not mean that the this ‘magical’ or ‘transcendent’ component of healing has gone away. I believe it is not simply a piece of the Dark Age history in Britain, but it is universal across human experience. From a 'natural' point of view, the power of a positive mind and a calm spirit are both recognized for their contribution to success in medicine.
From a supernatural, a faith-based, perspective, I have seen faith-based practices accomplish some pretty amazing results.
Irrespective, if you have
an interest in history or things British, give the podcast a listen.
Peter Hofstra
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