A Christian's Guide to Homeopathy

Review

This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Nick Churchill of The Society of Homoeopaths.

Reviewed by Allen Warren

The author comes from a Methodist background and is a local preacher and a counsellor. He qualified first as a teacher and later re-qualified as a homoeopath. He brings these skills together to examine in a scholarly manner a fascinating, if contentious, subject.

He outlines these reasons for writing this book which revolve around Christians; responsibility to care for the health of their bodies and souls. He comments that some Christians object to homoeopathy and certain other therapies on the grounds that they are occult, satanic, oriental, resemble witchcraft, and so on. He explains in non-technical language what homoeopathy is, how it developed, how it works and what it can do. He defines 'vital force' and 'energy medicine' and the differences from (conventional) biochemical medicine; these touch on the spiritual and arcane. In discussing the scientific aspects of homoeopathy he raises the question of why the substance and effects of homoeopathic remedies cannot be measured and quantified in the accepted ways. Galileo's words about measuring the measurable and making the unmeasurable measurable are apposite, especially in the light of Dr Jacques Benveniste's work. In discussing the objections raised by conventional (Orthodox/allopathic) medicine against homoeopathy, albeit rather tartly, an unfortunate bias has crept in. The point is not made that conventional medicine and surgery have progressed from dangerous empiricism, which caused concern to Paracelsus and Hahnemann in their days, to sophisticated science based on sound physiology and the like. That some drugs and procedures are not without danger is as relevant as it was in Paracelsus' and Hahnemann's times. Likewise, the dismissive attitude that homoeopathic treatment is a 'placebo response' and not based on sound science and principles is equally dangerous.

Any fears that Christians may have in using homoeopathy are well and truly assuaged by reference to the scriptures and their examples of healing. The occult, satanic and devilish ideas, especially those connected with the Orient are well debunked, as are efforts to drag in the New Age, astrology, Freemasonry and some chemical similes to denigrate homoeopathy.

There is the comforting thought, whatever one's religious or moral persuasion may be, that homoeopathy can be of benefit so long as it is applied by someone who knows what he/she is doing.

Five appendices give technical details of the preparation of homoeopathic remedies, the biophysical research of F A Popp of Kaiserslauten, Germany (the author is also a linguist), specimen answers to awkward questions, a list of technical terms with useful addresses and finally a conclusion based on one of St Paul's writings. All go to make an interesting book of value to Christians and to adherents to other faiths as well.

The Homoeopath No. 63 1996

This book review is reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Homeopathy

Reviewed by Julian Winston

Ian Crook is a homeopath registered with the Society of Homoeopaths in the UK. Since 1964 he has been the preacher at his local Methodist church. In the introduction of this book he tells of his mother showing him a book entitled Homeopathy by Dr. H.J. Bopp of Switzerland. The book attacked homeopathy as "dangerous" and "occult." Over the years many people talked to Crook about the subject, and his book, A Christian's Guide to Homeopathy, grew out of these discussions.

The issue is a very real one. Not long ago there was a discussion about the very topic on the lyghtforce homeopathy Internet list. It started when a practitioner wanted to know how to discuss homeopathy with patients who have been told, through their church or religious literature, that homeopathy is "anti-Christian" because it is "occult" and "New Age." Dr. Bopp says: "Homeopathy is dangerous. It is quite contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. It willingly favors healing through substances made dynamic, that is to say, charged with occult forces. Homeopathic treatment is the fruit of a philosophy and religion that are at the same time Hinduistic, pantheistic, and esoteric ... The occult influence in homeopathy is transmitted to the individual, bringing him consciously and unconsciously under demonic influence."

It is to counter thinking like this that Alan Crook has written his book. He does an admirable job explaining homeopathy in a very clear manner. He follows this explanation with two chapters: "Objections to Homeopathy: (I)Allopathic views" and "Objections to Homeopathy: (II) Christian views." Pointing out that most of the Christian, anti-homeopathic literature is from the pens of allopathic doctors, he questions the initial bias, and points out the areas of conflict in the first of the two chapters.

Crook points out the fallacy of equating homeopathy with "non-Chistian faiths"; some draw conclusions that since homeopathy is widely used in a country like India that it must be anti-Christian. He points out that allopathic medicine is also used in India and no such accusations are brought against it.

To further discuss the book here would be getting too involved in the very work the book is about. Serve it to say that Crook's book is a beautiful exposition of the value of homeopathy and the reasons why it should be acceptable to those of the Christian faith.

There is one analogy that he uses, and credits to Thorwld Dethlefsen, that was truly inspired. When the argument is presented that if one were to chemically analyze different homeopathic remedies on granules, one would find all the granules identical- therefore it is fraudulent to sell them as "different remedies," he suggests that a chemical laboratory analysis of two recording tapes would find them to be identical as well-even though they held different music. "Those who investigate physical phenomena of any kind must be careful to select the appropriate method," says Crook.

If you know people who query you about the "occult" nature of homeopathy, and tell you that it is the work of the devil, have them read this book. It is a book that certainly needed to be written and should be read by all.

September 1998
Homeopathy Today