Spiritual Massage Ministry Newsletter

Vol. 1  No. 1                                      ISSN 1080 - 3262                            February 28,  l995

Massage Therapy and Spiritual Massage Healing
are Legally Different Modalities

 Rev. Albert Schatz, Ph.D.
Pastor, Church for Spiritual Healing and Health

To avoid confusion, let us begin with definitions of what we are talking about. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA): "Massage Therapy is a profession in which the practitioner applies manual techniques, and may apply adjunctive therapies, with the intention of positively affecting the health and well-being of the client. Massage is manual soft tissue manipulations, and includes holding, causing movement, and/or applying pressure to the body. Therapy is a series of actions aimed at achieving or increasing health and wellness. Manual means by use of hand or body."^ According to these definitions, massage therapy is a secular modality.

Spiritual massage healing  is very different because it is a religious ceremony. It is a form of divinely inspired and divinely guided religious healing. It consists of prayer, love, anointing with oil and movements derived from the laying on of hands. It is the practice of one's religious faith and conscience. It is a mode of worship. The spiritual massage practitioner is a religious healer. Prayer is an integral part of spiritual massage healing. It provides the healer with guidance. Without prayer, there is no spiritual massage healing.

It is paradoxical that present-day massage therapy, is a secular modality despite its religious origin. It evolved from the biblical anointing with oil  and laying on of hands.  The doctrine of separation of church and state  (in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and in the constitutions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and other states) permits state governments to regulate massage therapy because it is secular. But spiritual massage and spiritual massage healing are legally very different.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cannot define the terms religion  and church  because doing so would violate the constitutional separation of church and state.^  Spiritual massage and spiritual massage healing can be defined only in religious terms, both historically and in their present-day practice.

Therefore, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cannot define the terms spiritual massage  and spiritual massage healing  because that too would violate the separation of church and state. If the Commonwealth cannot define spiritual massage and spiritual massage healing, how can there be a state law in Pennsylvania which regulates spiritual massage and spiritual massage healing?

The terms secular  and religious have different meanings, and these different meanings have important legal implications because of the separation of church and state.

Secular Religious Massage therapy is a secular, symptom-directed, medically-oriented modality. Spiritual massage is a religious healiong modality performed during a religious ceremony. State massage laws define massage and massage therapy in secular terms. Spiritual massage and spiritual massage healing are defined by one's religious philosphy and conscience. The Pennyslvania Medical Practice Act requires that all healing be performed by licensed doctors, except healing by spiritual means and prayer. Spiritual massage is a spiritual means of healing.  The Pennsylvania Medical Practice ACt does not define spiritual means of healing.4 The Pennsylvania Medical Practice Act requires that surgery be performed only by licensed doctors. Although circumcision is a surgical procedure, it is legally performed as part of a religious ceremony by individuals who are not licensed doctors.5 The Pennsylvania Private Licensed School Act requires that many private schools register with and be licensed by the state. Private schools that are affiliated with religious institutions and offer religious instruction are not required to register with and be licensed by the state. 6 The state may require that instructors in private schools which teach massage therapy meet state-approved educational standards. The state has no authority to require that instructors in private schools, which are affiliated with religious institutions and provide religious instruction, meet state-approved educational standards.

 

References

1. Basayne-Smith, A. Definition survey: what you had to say. Hands On, the AMTA newsletter. 9:6-7, Fall, 1993.
2.  Schatz, A. Church for Spirtual Healing and Health.  Spiritual massage healing. Journal of Spiritual Bodywork 1:1-53,1994.
3.  Personal communication, Dec. 21, 1993, to A. Schatz from David J. DeVries, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Review and Advice Section, Office of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania.
4.  Personal Communication, April 12, 1994, to A. Schatz from Cindy L. Warner, Administrator, Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine.
5. Personal communication, February 6, 1995, to A. Schatz from April L. McClaine, Counsel, Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine.
6.  The Pennsylvania Private Licensed School Act and the State Board of Private Licensed Schools.

Interest in Spiritual Massage is Increasing

During the past three decades, there has been increasing interest in holistic health, nutrition, exercise, nature, spiritual healing, the environment, peace, Native American culture and philosophy, personal growth, relationships, meditation, etc. One underlying theme in all these areas is the search for a more spiritual life.

During the past decade,  more and more people have become interested in the spiritual aspects of massage. This is not surprising because present-day secular massage therapy has a religious origin.  It evolved from the biblical anointing with oil  and the laying on of hands.  Spiritual massage and spiritual healing massage would therefore inevitably attract those who are seeking a more spiritual life. This is why there is growing interest in spiritual massage  and spiritual massage healing.

The Church for Spiritual Healing and Health was established to recognize the need to coordinate interest in the spiritual aspects of bodywork. However, "the Church does not attempt to motivate any individual to do spiritual healing, including spiritual massage healing… Each individual must decide for herself whether she has been chosen to do spiritual healing; and, if so, how to do it".^ "The Church  looks upon spiritual healing , including spiritual massage healing, as a calling comparable to the calling for ordination". .Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.  -- John 15:16.

Neither the Church nor the Spiritual Massage Healing Ministry, which is an affiliate of the Church, defines the terms spiritual,  massage,  and healing. "Religious  usually refers to major religions. Spiritual  may refer to major religions as well as other kinds of faiths. We use the terms religious  and spiritual  interchangeably".1 In this sense, the Church is ecumenical because it not restricted to Christian denominations. It respects and is open to all faiths. The Universal Life Church, which ordains ministers, is similar in this respect. "We do not ask that the minister forfeit membership in any other church." (See page 4 of this newsletter.)

Ron Roth (at the Celebrating Life Institute for Spiritual Healing, Peru, IL) is also non-denominational. "I believe that God is the creator of all people and therefore all people are welcome at my spiritual healing workshops and seminars. All  I ask is that the people attending will 'leave their denominations' out in the parking lot before entering the lecture hall."                              
 

The Universal Life Church, Inc.
601 Third Street, Modesto, CA 95351

The following information is quoted from two copyrighted publications of the Universal Life Church:  The Universe Book and The Buffer Zone. This information is reproduced and distributed with the permission of the Universal Life Church.

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Have you ever thought of becoming an ordained minister? If you have, now is the time. Millions of people around the world are becoming ordained ministers.

The Universal Life Church believes that a man is already ordained before he even becomes a ordained minister of the Universal Life Church.  The Universal Life Church believes  that he/she is an ordained minister of God according to the Bible. In St. John 15:16 it says that God called you and has ordained you. The Universal Life Church believes this scripture to be true.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give you.  St. John 15:16

The Universal Life Church does not sit in judgment of your beliefs, creed, religion, race, color, or sex. We will ordain anyone upon request. Help the ministry grow! Become an ordained minister and ordain others! Help spread the Universal Life!

We will ordain anyone without question of their faith, for life, and without a fee. However, we do graciously accept any donations. You are licensed as well as ordained.

The Universal Life Church minister is legally ordained. This means that he or she is licensed by the State of California to perform all ministerial services, such as baptisms, marriages, funerals, and to conduct church meetings. He is entitled  to all the privileges and considerations usually granted a minister. We do not ask that the minister forfeit membership in any other church. We merely allow the minister to practice that which is right. The certificate of ordination is granted for life

The Universal Life Church has no traditional doctrine. We as an organization only believe in that which is right. Each individual has the privilege and responsibility to determine what is right for him - as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. We do not stand between you and your God. We are advocates of the First Amendment of the United States of America.

What we do is stand between you and the Federal Government and between you and the state, not between you and your God. We meet the requirements of the Federal Government and the state.

There is a large staff at International Headquarters to answer any questions you might have about the Universal Life Church and its ministry.