The first scientific study on the power of prayer to heal may have led to unexciting results, but it hasn't deterred the tenacity of those who believe. In a recent essay in Science and Theology, Dónal P. O'Mathúna, co-author of Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook and lecturer of health care ethics at the School of Nursing in Dublin, points out several flaws in the STEP study (study of the therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer).