Religion in Medicine

Throughout recorded history, medicine and religion have been closely related. Many treatments that have been provided by healers have connections that intertwine with the boundaries of spiritual traditions and religion. However, Western medicine has taken a turn away from religion and has tried to create a separation between the two. This separation has created controversy within the practice of medicine as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable religiously when treating patients. (Yasgur, 2018)

In recent years, there has been a growing number of physicians and ethicists who think that religion does not have to be entirely split off from modern day medicine. However, there are many opponents to this idea who believe that no religion or spiritual traditions should enter into medical practices. Benjamin Frush and Rob Poole are two physicians who were interviewed on this topic and each of them were asked how religion plays a role in the patient physician relationship. Benjamin Frush believes that religion and medicine should be incorporated while Ron Poole believes that religion should never be present in medicine. (Yasgur, 2018)

Benjamin Frush studied medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was also a member at the Theology, Medicine, and Culture fellowship at Duke Divinity School and received a masters in Christian Studies. Throughout his education, Frush focused on shared attributes between medicine, faith, and philosophy and how these attributes can provide a more informed approach to interactions with his patients. Frush explains how he does not let his own religious beliefs get in the way of treating his patients. Not only is this because of his medical ethic, but his religion also supports treating everyone the same especially when they are not physically well. Frush sees it as his job to provide “care and compassion” to those who are in need regardless of their beliefs. (Yasgur, 2018) Frush also explains that if the patient asked him to do something that went against his beliefs, he must respect the patient and their decision. The biggest overall factor for any instance where a patient’s beliefs challenge their physician’s beliefs is the “physician’s commitment to the health of the patient and not necessarily the unqualified protection of the physician’s religious beliefs.” (Yasgur, 2018) Although it may seem like religion could cause controversy between physician and patient, Frush explains that the patient’s physical wellbeing is more important than differing viewpoints. Frush believes that religion and medicine can not be separate because religion is a “fundamental orientation to the world” and that religion can be integrated into medicine since it is the “physician’s sacred obligation to alleviate suffering and foster the patient’s health.” (Yasgur, 2018)

Rob Poole is a professor of social psychiatry at Bangor University. He was raised as an atheist and believes that even though religious beliefs a an important part of who people are and that can not be completely eliminated, it is a physician’s job to not let religion have an effect on the treatment of patients. Poole believes that people should be respectful and tolerant of other’s beliefs, however, they should not contribute to the physician-patient relationship. Poole argues that beliefs have many different kinds of impacts and that those impacts can lead to discrepancy between patients. Poole also discusses how some patient’s religious beliefs can cause them to ask for an altercation in treatment that would end up being harmful to them. Distinguishing between “authentic religion” and mental illness is difficult in these instances. (Yasgur, 2018) He recalls one time a woman was brought to him because her friends thought she was too vulnerable to live out on the streets. The woman argued that God wanted her to live a simple lifestyle with no money or shelter. After discussing with a friend with religious background, they let the woman leave but kept an eye on her. A couple of days later she “became psychotic” and was admitted into the hospital. (Yasgur, 2018)  Based off of his experiences, Poole surmises that decisions made based of off religion should be respected bu they should not get in the way of a person’s health or well being.

Through both physicians stances on the issue, it is evident that there is no clear solution to whether religion should play a role in medicine or not. Fear of being treated differently as a result of religion is evident here as it has been throughout the ages. People have been constantly trying to overcome religious prejudices that have been placed upon their belief system in order to escape unequal treatment. This issue also demonstrates how religion is intertwined with almost every discipline in the modern world. Trying to disconnect religion entirely proves to be difficult considering how influential and controversial religion has been throughout history. This ongoing argument about whether or not religion has a role in medicine proves that religion continues to be influential and controversial in almost all aspects of our lives. 

 

 

Works Cited

Yasgur, Batya Swift. “Opinion: Does Religion Have a Place in Medicine?” MPR, Haymarket   Media, 11 Oct. 2018, http://www.empr.com/features/religion-in-medicine-christianity-atheism-god-faith-prayer-medical-treatment/article/804268/4/.

The Growth of Religion

Throughout the globe, religion seems to be on the rise. Based off of 2015 studies, 84% of the world’s population identify with a religious group (Harriet Sherwood). This growth is due to many factors including geographical and a rise in birth and death rates. Furthermore, for the first time in history Muslims could outnumber Christians, causing a huge shift in the religions that dominate the world (Nadia Whitehead). 

Geographical influences have a big influence on the rise of religious identity throughout the world. Three-fourths of people who are religious live in a country where their religion is the majority of the population However, religious minorities still make up a fourth of the population (Harriet Sherwood). By growing up in a community that has some sort of religious association, more and more people are growing up with an affiliation with religion. 

The rise of birth and death rates within groups of people who affiliate with certain religions also has to do with the climb in religious affiliation. People who identify as having a religious affiliation are younger and more likely to produce more children than those who do not affiliate with any religion. Muslim women have a birthrate of 2.9 children whereas Christian women have a birthrate of 2.6. Christians also have a large share of the world’s death rate at 37% (Harriet Sherwood). These rates contribute to the increase in religion because the majority of people are being born into religiously affiliated households.

The growth of Muslims is credited to the demographics of the population. Experts speculate that the biggest reason for increased growth in Muslim population is the high birthrate among Muslim women. Additionally, the vast majority of Muslims are younger than other religious groups which have older populations. This means that more Muslims are starting up families and producing children more than other religions. Moreover, Christianity is declining in Western Europe. Ireland, for example, saw a fall in Catholicism of almost 6% in the span of five years (Harriet Sherwood). The combination of the decrease in Christianity and the high birth rates of Muslims attributes to the increase in Muslim population worldwide. 

It is predicted that by 2050 (if growth rates continue as they are) the number of Muslims will almost equal the number of Christians in the world. This is not due entirely to the decreasing rate of Christianity, it is more largely due to the fact Christian’s growth rate is not as fast as the growth rate of the Muslim population. However, this is all just based off of current data and is very likely top change throughout the years. Some experts speculate that war, political unrest, famine, natural disasters, and much more could effect this prediction and easily change the growth rates of religions (Nadia Whitehead).

The change in global religious presence suggests a worldwide religious revival where more people are associating themselves with religion and religious ideas. However, this idea causes discomfort because the motives of these demographic changes are unknown, making it unclear whether it is an actual religious revival or just an increase in populations. Perhaps this growth is just due to an increase in assimilation to the dominant religion in the area. Although the motives of increased individuals for identifying with a religion are unknown, it is clear that certain religious groups are beginning to have a larger presence based purely on birth and death rates. Overall, this change demonstrates how religion is continuously shifting and changing throughout the years. 

Works Cited

Sherwood, Harriet. “Religion: Why Faith Is Becoming More and More Popular.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 27 Aug. 2018, www.theguardian.com/news/2018/aug/27/religion-why-is-faith-growing-and-what-happens-next.

Whitehead, Nadia. “A Religious Forecast For 2050: Atheism Is Down, Islam Is Rising.” NPR, NPR, 25 Dec. 2015, www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/12/25/460797744/a-religious-forecast-for-2050-atheism-is-down-islam-is-rising.