The God of Cancer

The Bible says in John 14:13-14, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Mark 11:24 assures the faithful, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Christians (and those of other religions) worldwide pray fervently for the cures to cancer, disease, and all manner of malady and misfortune. Are those prayers activating the healing hand of God as promised in scripture? This is a difficult and often unpopular conversation, but a necessary one. And amid the global avalanche of human suffering, we must address and understand what prayer is, why we do it, what results it does (or doesn't) bring, and the nature of the god who receives our desperate pleas. We must also reevaluate our models for compassion, help and healing...and the agents of rescue and goodness who are so often, tragically, ignored. This presentation by Seth Andrews, given at the "Shift to Reason" conference in Regina, Saskatchewan on April 30, 2016, is far from a complete examination of the subject, but it explores some important, key questions regarding faith, divine protection, suffering, prayer and healing intervention.