Step 1: Religion, Medicine, and Healthcare
This paper aims to understand how religious beliefs influence patient outcomes. In most cases, healthcare providers face ethical challenges when balancing the medical needs of patients and their religions. Research shows that many people in times of distress seek different ways of coping with pain. During a health crisis, many consider spiritual comfort and discover a spiritual centre in religion. This is believed to ease pain and prevent further suffering. Thus, many often believe in the connection between healthcare and religion. In this regard, healthcare providers must understand the impact of religion on patients’ experience to ensure appropriate care (Idler, 2021). Based on religious teachings, individuals address medical issues in totally different ways. Also, cultural sensitivity is critical in the connection between religion and healthcare.
Step 2
In the recent past, Idler (2021) reports that conversations on the importance of religion in medicine and healthcare have been robust. Religion and spirituality influence medical decisions about diet, especially those based on modesty and animal products. Research shows that returning to faith helps patients reduce their anxieties during healthcare challenges. Some religions tend to refuse particular medical assessments and treatment. For instance, some deny certain transplants like hearts due to the belief that the heart is the body’s soul. Since some religions consider God as the ultimate healer, they eventually turn to herbal and natural medications and decline healthcare practices. This explains how important it is to show the relevance of understanding the spiritual beliefs of individuals to efficiently navigate the complicated link between medical needs and religious beliefs (Idler, 2021). Ethical problems often occur when health professionals interfere with patients’ religious beliefs. According to Idler (2021), healthcare and medical providers should approach patients respectfully and consider their convictions to avoid these problems. Hospitals can improve communication, promote trust, and enhance patient outcomes by appreciating patient inclinations related to patients’ faith.
Step 3
The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity is an indispensable guide for those among us who desire a broad and detailed apprehension of the varied expanse of Christianity of today. This imposing reference work, written by specialists in the field, further explores the Christian faith, explaining theology and exposing the religious behavior and practices of the modern world that characterizes contemporary Christianity. From the variety of terms listed in the dictionary, one gets to navigate the depth and width of Christian doctrine, a characteristic that ensures every reader acquires a clear understanding of the religion. According to Jones (2022), this dictionary is not only to be a valuable reference for scholars but also for ordinary laypeople explaining complex evident meanings of core notions within Christianity. Be it explaining the complexity of theological disputes or breaking down the various Christian values, the Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity is a trusted source of true information and advanced updates. The word entries have a discussion on the nature of God and the Trinity as well as aspects such as sacraments and practices in the context of the liturgy. Therefore, the dictionary is an introduction to a responsible approach to broader Christianity.
Step 4
The emergence of religious beliefs and practices creates various challenges in healthcare, including giving moral justifications for acts of homicide. The interplay between religion and healthcare is elaborated in the Encyclopedia of Religion, which considerably enhances its understanding through relevant insights into their intersection. Goetz and Taliaferro (2022) discuss deeply traditional religions regarding beliefs and their great impact towards medical practice and healthcare delivery. The encyclopedia is further characterized by researchers’ attempt to understand the relationship between spirituality and healing in deconstructing spirituality, shedding light on the efforts required to understand compassionate healthcare providers and patients in different religions. Therefore, it is an all-encompassing investigation that goes beyond health, addressing the issue of nature and faith, making it a staple guide for the understanding of the multifarious crossroads between medicine and humans.
References
Goetz, S., & Taliaferro, C. (Eds.). (2022). the encyclopedia of philosophy of religion. Wiley Blackwell.
Idler, E. (2021). Health and religion. The Wiley Blackwell companion to medical sociology, pp. 370–388.
Jones, B. (2022). Dictionary of World Biography (p. 1005). Anu Press.
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