A Small Moment of Great Illumination: Searching for Valentine Greatrakes, T he Master Healer

US: Counterpoint, 2006. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Renowned for his healing powers, Greatrakes stood at the center of one of t he great controversies of his age involving scientists, theologians, physic ians, and philosophers. Many proclaimed his cures a miracle. Others denounc ed him as a quack. Recent court battles over intelligent design affirm that the conflict betwe en science and religion still rages, but what was the debate like in its ea rliest flowering? A Small Moment of Great Illumination visits England at th e height of the Scientific Revolution to find the answer embodied in Greatr akes. Claiming he could heal others simply by touching them, Greatrakes bec ame the target for a rising contest between the clergy and laymen who would champion the emerging scientific theories of the day. This biography trace s his ascendance in the high societies of England and Ireland and his relat ionships with poet Andrew Marvell, philosopher Henry More, and scientist Ro bert Boyle. Pitt interlaces the biography with his own adventures, Pitt's pursuit of the Irish healer turned up many magical discoveries. Including eye-witness accounts of Greatrakes's healing and correspondence from Greatrakes on how he discovered his powers, this book pieces together the life and times of an enigmatic forgotten figure.