Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:

Search

Another faith-healing death of a child puts Followers of Christ parents on trial

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Monday September 12, 2011

OREGON CITY – When the trial of Dale and Shannon Hickman begins this week in Clackamas County, the curtain again rises on a familiar tragedy, one centered on the death of a child and on parents whose unwavering faith in divine healing may lead them to prison.

KATU report from July 30, 2010

Steve Mayes reports in the Oregonian that

The Hickmans are members of the Followers of Christ, an Oregon City faith-healing church.
The congregation has a long history of children dying from curable conditions because parents rejected medical care in favor of spiritual treatments.
The Hickmans are charged with second-degree manslaughter.
They are fourth couple prosecuted in the past two years by the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office for failing to seek adequate medical care for a child. In the previous cases, all but one defendant was convicted and sentenced to jail or prison.

As a result of its extreme faith healing beliefs and practices the church — which has left a trail of dead children in its wake — is considered to be a cult, both theologically and sociologically.

Theologically Followers of Christ Church is a cult of Christianity.

Steve Mayes writes

The trial over David Hickman’s death could last five weeks. Many days will be filled with testimony from medical experts and discussions of prenatal care, midwifery practices and the impact of a bacterial infection on a fetus. As in past Followers cases, religious freedom, parental rights and the government’s responsibility to protect children will find their way into the fray.
Court documents, pre-trial hearings and questions asked in jury selection give a sense of the arguments each side may offer.
The jury must consider a couple of key questions: Did the Hickmans fail to recognize that David faced a substantial and unjustifiable risk that could result in serious harm or death? And did they respond to that risk as a reasonable person would. Simply put, did the Hickmans adhere to community standards of care for a medically fragile newborn.

Coverage of previous Followers of Christ cases
Research resources on the Followers of Christ
Research resources on faith healing