Anointed prayer handkerchiefs - Are we missing a paradigm for healing?

Anointed prayer handkerchiefs were once a distinctive in Pentecostal healing praxis. Their historical origins can be traced through the Biblical use of tokens in healing, the Pauline paradigm of Acts 19:11-12, the Catholic reliquary system, and the renewal of interest in Divine healing in the nineteenth century. The use of prayer handkerchiefs was popularised through the Azusa Street revival and later through the ministry of Healing Evangelists like William Branham and T.L. Osborn. Although Colin Dye made notable use of such cloths in a healing revival in 1999, in general prayer handkerchiefs have declined in popularity. Reasons offered for this include the evangelicalization of Pentecostalism, a different perspective on healing within Charismatic churches, and growing scepticism over the perceived peddling of such cloths by certain televangelists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]