Pastoral Science & Medicine is the term devised by the Pastoral Medical Association (PMA) to describe the system of natural approaches founded upon spiritual principles used by PMA licensed practitioners for promoting and improving physical, mental and spiritual health of their clients.
Clients of PMA practitioners achieve health improvements by making positive lifestyle changes and following other natural procedures that are scripturally sound, scientifically based and professionally administered pursuant to acceptable standards of care.
Related Definitions
The following definitions are used to establish the PMA’s term “Pastoral Science & Medicine”.
Pastoral: of or relating to spiritual care or guidance especially of a congregation.
Science: the study of the physical and natural world and phenomena, especially by using systematic observation and experiment.
Medicine: to cure, heal and make whole. (This term is derived from the KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon word “ijavomai”, transliterated to “Iaomai”, listed and defined in Strong’s Concordance as word #2390.)
Therefore, combining these definitions, Pastoral Science & Medicine means: Spiritual care and guidance (pastoral) using healing phenomena observed, experienced and recorded (science) over centuries, utilizing scriptural insight for good physical, mental and spiritual health, prayer, natural agents and protocols (medicine) to achieve lifelong health and well-being.
Not Conventional Medicine
In understanding what Pastoral Science & Medicine is, it is equally important to emphasize and understand what it is not.
Pastoral Science & Medicine is not the same as and does not involve the practice of conventional medicine. More specifically, PMA licensed practitioners do not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and PMA licensees do not recommend or prescribe any medications or pharmaceutical drugs or recommend any change in prescription or use of medications or drugs that may have been prescribed or provided for you by a medical physician.
It is important to note too that any Pastoral Science & Medicine services you may receive from a PMA practitioner are completely separate from and not related to, approved by or dependent upon any secular federal or state governmental licensing authority or any other healthcare license the practitioner may have.
This healthcare practice is based on a ministerial license issued by the Pastoral Medical Association (PMA). The titles PSc.D and D.PSc referenced on this website relate to practitioner’s PMA license, and not to any state license authority. PMA licensees do not practice medicine. More specifically, they do not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury. Also, PMA licensees do not recommend or prescribe any medications or pharmaceutical drugs.