Faith healing and the field of healthcare in Brazil

Abstract

The general aim of the present paper was to contribute towards the discussion on the field of healthcare. Specifically, the aim was to contribute towards reflections on the hegemonic power of medicine and its relationships with practices of faith healing. Taking into account the field and habitus of Pierre Bourdieu's theory, faith healing is discussed based on a review of the concept of trance in the intellectual field as an object of scientific habitus formed between medical practice and religious practice. Finally, by means of contemporary themes shared by social sciences and public health, it is shown how faith healing - a negative term within the field of medicine - is transformed into a positive term within the field of public health.

Keywords

• Religión y medicina
• Salud
• Espiritualidad
• Terapias espirituales