faith healer
Lays on hands
A faith healer is someone who claims to cure illness or injury through spiritual means—prayer, divine intervention, or the laying on of hands—rather than medical treatment.
The practice appears across religious traditions, from Pentecostal revival meetings to Catholic shrines.
The faith healer placed his hands on her forehead and commanded the sickness to leave.
Zealous advocate or preacher
- preacherReligious sermon deliverer
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- pastorChristian congregation leader
- shamanIndigenous spiritual healer
curandero · medicine man · mystic · channeler · medium · prophet · apostle · televangelist
Faker claiming false expertise
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- placeboInactive therapeutic substitute
pseudo-science · exploitation · scam · debunking · malpractice · false hope · medical neglect · deception
Godly action in affairs
- miracleSupernatural occurrence beyond explanation
- holy spiritSacred immaterial divine presence
- anointingCeremonial oil application
- salvationDeliverance from harm
redemption · deliverance · sanctification · grace · prophecy · discernment · charisma · calling
Healing through physical contact
- anointingCeremonial oil application
- deliveranceRescue from bondage
- tent revivalOutdoor religious gathering under canvas
- crusadeZealous effort for change
intercession · exorcism · blessing · channeling · reiki · holy water · testimonial · altar call
Religious journey-taker
- devoteeZealous admirer or follower
- supplicantOne who humbly entreats
- seekerOne who looks
- followerOne who supports another
congregation · believer · patient · desperate · hopeful · terminally ill · chronic illness · last resort
Temporary disease absence
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- cureTreatment that heals
- restorationReturning something to condition
- wholenessComplete, undivided state
renewal · transformation · regeneration · relief · wellness · rehabilitation · medical mystery · improvement
evangelist
Zealous advocate or preacher
- preacherReligious sermon deliverer
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- pastorChristian congregation leader
shaman · curandero · medicine man · mystic · channeler · medium · prophet · apostle · televangelist · revivalist
charlatan
Faker claiming false expertise
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
placebo · pseudo-science · exploitation · scam · debunking · malpractice · false hope · medical neglect · deception · criticism
divine intervention
Godly action in affairs
- miracleSupernatural occurrence beyond explanation
- holy spiritSacred immaterial divine presence
- anointingCeremonial oil application
salvation · redemption · deliverance · sanctification · grace · prophecy · discernment · charisma · calling · ministry
laying on hands
Healing through physical contact
- anointingCeremonial oil application
- deliveranceRescue from bondage
- tent revivalOutdoor religious gathering under canvas
crusade · intercession · exorcism · blessing · channeling · reiki · holy water · testimonial · altar call · laying hands
pilgrim
Religious journey-taker
- devoteeZealous admirer or follower
- supplicantOne who humbly entreats
- seekerOne who looks
follower · congregation · believer · patient · desperate · hopeful · terminally ill · chronic illness · last resort · testimony
remission
Temporary disease absence
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- cureTreatment that heals
- restorationReturning something to condition
wholeness · renewal · transformation · regeneration · relief · wellness · rehabilitation · medical mystery · improvement · comfort
- Filipino religionpatron saints, novena, religious processions, friars, parish priests
- religious fraudfake guru, false prophet, false messiah, charlatan, prosperity gospel
- healersnurse, doctor, physician, surgeon, medic
- American ProtestantismBaptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian
- faith healinglaying on of hands, miracle cure, miracle cures, laying on hands, laying hands
- folk healersherbalist, herb doctor, wise woman, cunning woman, cunning folk
faith healerphysician
Licensed medical doctor
medical doctor · surgeon · oncologist · neurologist · MD
faith healerskeptic
One who doubts claims
debunker · rationalist · fraud investigator · empiricist · medical researcher
faith, health, heal, healing, faithful, unfaithful, healer, faithfully, faithfulness