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 Physicist and Biblical Scholar, Gerald Schroeder, is a favorite author of mine. I have read his great book The Hidden Face of God and I now have in my hands, The Science of God: The Convergence of Scientific and Biblical Wisdom (Simon and Schuster, 2009). I think it is a must read, especially for the confirmed athetist or agnostic. As Publishers Weekly has said, "Schroeder offers fresh evidence for the eternal argument that science and religion, matter and spirit, need not be seen as conflicting or mutually exclusive." Schroeder argues that the latest findings of science and a close reading of the Bible are not only compatible, they are also interdependent. I can say amen to that.
 As President of ISH, I am delighted that we will have an amazingly diverse and outstanding group of teachers for our Thursday Great Teacher Lecture Series which begins on January 19 through May 17, 2012. Our speakers will will begin with Rabbi David Lyon speaking on "Psalms for Spirituality and Health." Later we will have talks by the ever-dynamic Jeff Kripal, PhD, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice, speaking on "Why Everyone Needs to be a Comparativist"; Jon Allen, PhD from the Menninger Clinic speaking on "Mentalizing God," Xavia Karner, PhD, Sociology department at Rice, speaking on "Contemplative Photography," and Amy McQuire, J.D., PhD., Baylor College of Medicine, speaking on "Genomic Medicine." She will be looking at the ethical issues related to those who gather and have possession of our genetic data. Each speaker will have something unique to offer. I don't want to miss a single talk. To see the full schedule of speakers, go to the EVENTS menu on this website. And, do come. You will be blessed. Time: 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. in the Lecture room at the Institute, 8100 Greenbriar, # 220 (exit 59 and head south). There will be a modest $ 10 fee for the lectures, but we do encourage a $ 20-25 contribution to ISH which will be used, in part, as an honorarium for the speaker. Parking is free. Register online or call Jerri Doctor, 713-797-0600. To view a schedule of the Great Teacher Series, click here.
 I am reading a great book entitled, The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth by Gerald L. Schroeder (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001). Schroeder is a MIT-trained scientist and has worked in both physics and biology. A previous books of his, The Science of God, was a best seller. In this book the author says that, properly understood, the findings of science provide positive reasons for faith. So, instead of science disproving religion, just the opposite is true. In the prologue to his book, Schroeder says,
 On Dec 6, 2011, the Wall Street Journal published an interesting article outlining the role of hospital chaplains. The article says the majority of hospitals in America provide chaplain servies and studies indicate patients value the care they receive. To further document the work chaplains do, the Templeton Foundation has established a $ 3 million dollar grant which will encourage evidence-based research in this area. Previous studies have shown that patients want their spiritual concerns addressed while they are being cared for medically. So, the interest is there, and these studies will seek to determine the benefit patients receive from chaplain visits. Read the full Wall Stree Journal article at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204826704577074462494881428.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6#printMode.
Let me say Up front that I (John K. Graham, M.D., D.Min.) have always resisted comparisons between the cost of medical care in the united states and that of other countries. The Quality of care is quite different from one country to the next. And, many countries have a two-tier system where those who can afford it go to private physicians rather than using the free government health care system (England, for example). I don't believe studies include the cost of private care in their comparisons; if not, comparisons are invalid. Also, consider the fact that physicians from all over the world come to the U.S. for speciality training. This speaks loudly about the quality of our care in the U.S. Still, it may be worthwile to read this article which appeared on PBS' online site. It is written By: Sarah Clune and Jason Kane. They say: "Staying healthy in the United States is expensive. In fact, in 2009, the average annual cost of health care was $7,960 per person -- two and a half times what it was in Japan for the same year. That's just one of the numbers we (Clune & Kane) pored over in the new report out by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which compared health care costs across all 34 of its members. The report illustrates significant variation between costs in different countries. But there were also some commonalities. Health spending has grown more quickly than GDP in the last decade in all of the member countries, except in Luxembourg. To learn more, click below.
 Jeffrey J. Kripal is a historian of religions and Chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University. He is also a member of the Institute for Spirituality and Health’s Adjunct Faculty. Kripals’ latest book is entitled, Mutants & Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal (University of Chicago Press, 2011). On the leaf of his book Jeffrey has written, “In many ways, Twentieth-century America was the land of superheroes and science fiction, from Superman and Batman to the Fantastic Four and the X-men. These pop-culture Juggernauts, with their “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men,” thrilled readers and audiences – and simultaneously embodied a host of our dreams and fears about modern life and the onrushing future. To read further, click below.
Can Prayer Heal the Sick? 85 percent of physicians polled believed religion and spirituality (including prayer) have a positive influence on health and recovery. By Robert Shmerling, M.D., Harvard Health Publications
It's an appealing and comforting thought. Friends, family and even total strangers pray for you when you're seriously ill. When you recover, you may be grateful for those prayers. But did they contribute to your recovery? How would you know? Is it a question even worth asking? Click below to learn more.
Does prayer work?
 An article in Parade Magazine, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, says it's been a "brutal year," but reminds us this holiday season we can choose to help our fellow Americans get back on their feet. The article suggests 10 ways we can do that. (1) Help a needy family meet their mortgage, (2) Feed hungry children in Orgeon, (3) Act now to stop a new HIV/Aids Crisis, (4) Establish a new lounge for wounded vets at Fort Belvoir, VA., (5) Reforest sacred lands in New Mexico, (6) Come to the Rescue of two Flooded Communities in Kentucky, (7) Keep a Home Warm this winter, (8) Build safe rooms in Joplin Schools, (9) Change Kids' lives and a City's Image in Stockton, CA, the Most Miserable City in America, and (10) Adopt a team for the Olympic Games. Some of these may not meet your fancy, but we all know of situations in our locale where we could help. So, don't be a Scrooge. Instead, let's do it!
Where there is a will, there is a way. On Sunday, November 27, 2011, The Houston Chronicle posted a story on page A29 of the newspaper, entitled, Patient's Turn to the Internet for Money, Support. The subtitle is, "Donations from family, friends, strangers save lives, grant wishes." The story features Jessica and Seah Haley who are pictured on the left. When the couple wanted a baby but their insurance company refused to pay, they posted a wish on the website IndieGoGo and raised $ 8,050 with their "Help the Haleys Have a Baby Campaign." She is now pregnant and the couple is very happy -- thanks to the gifts of family, friends and even strangers. To read about this creative approach to meeting a financial need not covered by health insurance, click below.
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