Part II considers Christian doctrine and the human condition. M. offers philosophical reconsidera... more Part II considers Christian doctrine and the human condition. M. offers philosophical reconsideration of familiar metaphysical assumptions, suggesting that the “proper theological response to the problem of reconciling human suffering in a God of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness is not to try to solve the unsolvable, but to preserve the mystery of God” (vii). It is the deprivation that comes with suffering that we know we are not united with God who is All in all. Michael Himes distinguishes between pain and suffering, the latter being our awareness of being out of control, which can lead to despair. Of Jesus’ own physical and mental anguish H. writes, “It is in confronting this suffering that Jesus prayed that his Father’s will be accomplished even though it makes no sense to him at the moment” (117). Yet Jesus did take up the cross and all Christians are to do likewise. “We must remain faithful both to the reality of suffering and to the absolute love of God and not surrender either one to the other” (123). Moving from personal to global suffering—its causes, immediacy, and depths—to evil and the presence of God, Elizabeth Dreyer concludes, “If suffering has meaning, that meaning is love, for it is love that motivates us to weep . . . [and] to fight for justice” (135). Looking to the cross as what makes us fully human, Dryer sums up the collective insight of this book: “The Christian God takes human suffering seriously and personally enters into it, transforming it from within. . . . Suffering is a journey, allowing us to grow closer to God” (143).
Reflecting on the legacy of Paul Farmer one notices, first, how who he was and what he did with o... more Reflecting on the legacy of Paul Farmer one notices, first, how who he was and what he did with others to promote health, locally and globally, manifest the importance of a committed theological approach and, at the same time, how such an approach contributed to promote the agenda of global public health. Second, looking at the past (at him and his work) inspires and informs our present and future commitments to foster global public health with the contributions of a theological ethics shaped by a strong social agenda.
Grounded in a presupposition that a single explanatory framework cannot fully account for the exp... more Grounded in a presupposition that a single explanatory framework cannot fully account for the expansive learning processes that occur during medical residency, the article examines developing physicians’ reflective writing from three disciplinary lenses. The goal is to understand how the multi-dimensional nature of medical residency translates into assembling educational experiences and constructing meaning that cannot be fully explained through a single discipline. An interdisciplinary research team across medical education, communication, and ethics qualitatively analyzed reflective entries (N=756) completed by family medicine residents (N=33) across an academic year. Results provide evidence for moving toward an integrated thematic explanation across disciplines. The authors suggest that the integration of disciplinary explanations allows for comprehensive understanding of reflection as a cornerstone in the broader formation of the physician. Examples provide evidence for an inte...
To introduce the volume, Andrea Vicini, SJ, stresses the need to address the global cancer pandem... more To introduce the volume, Andrea Vicini, SJ, stresses the need to address the global cancer pandemic, while the world struggles with the ongoing pandemic caused by COVID-19. Cancer affects millions of people. It is the first or second cause of death in 134 countries, the leading cause of death in most high-income countries (i.e., 10 million deaths in 2020), and the leading cause of death by disease in American children. Cancer is also unjust. Striking inequities can be traced within and between countries in cancer incidence and survival by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic-status. Survival is much higher among the wealthy than among the poor. An overview of the volume introduces the following chapters.
The COVID-19 pandemic is critically analyzed as a social magnifying glass that exacerbates pre-ex... more The COVID-19 pandemic is critically analyzed as a social magnifying glass that exacerbates pre-existing unjust situations and contexts—locally, nationally, and internationally. Hence, to reflect ethically on the multiple challenges, which people face during this crisis, requires to address the social and political determinants of health. The essay articulates a systemic approach that examines, first, unjust structural dimensions (i.e., poverty, gender, and racism); and second, local and global practices in healthcare, with privileged attention given to structural dynamics, professionals, decisions, and institutional leadership. As a result, the ethics of global public health stresses how health is a shared, interconnected, and inclusive good that should be carefully protected and urgently promoted.
Concilium: Revista internacional de teología, 2021
La creciente presencia del poshumanismo en la cultura contemporánea
puede rastrearse en sus múlt... more La creciente presencia del poshumanismo en la cultura contemporánea
puede rastrearse en sus múltiples formas. Tras ejemplificar
este carácter omnipresente y algunas de sus manifestaciones,
se destacan algunas preocupaciones éticas que se centran en el
agente moral poshumano, en el riesgo de escapismo y en la confianza
incuestionable en la tecnología y sus promesas. Además, la
evaluación crítica se centra en las posibles aportaciones poshumanas
beneficiosas, al potenciar un cuestionamiento selectivo del humanismo,
así como en las lamentables pérdida; en particular, la
encarnación humana y social, que son fundamentales en la experiencia
cristiana configurada por la Encarnación.
In the U.S. healthcare system, telehealth is increasingly present and demands ethical assessment.... more In the U.S. healthcare system, telehealth is increasingly present and demands ethical assessment. On the one hand, telehealth increases access to healthcare services for some at-risk populations (e.g., people suffering from mental illness and addictions) and in specific contexts (e.g., rural). On the other hand, telehealth widens the digital divide and can lead to overuse of services. Furthermore, because it is still unclear how telehealth influences trust between patients and primary care clinicians, connecting relationship science and human communication research can inform critical reasoning. Finally, healthcare policy is advancing toward the wide adoption of telehealth. Hence, it is urgent to address these ethical issues and invest in further research.
This qualitative study introduces the broad and inclusive concept of the ‘‘inner life of physicia... more This qualitative study introduces the broad and inclusive concept of the ‘‘inner life of physicians’’ and analyzes the written reflections (N = 756) of family medicine residents (N = 33) during their residency as indicative of the physicians’ inner lives. Residents completed reflective entries without specific prompts. Researchers describe unsolicited emergent categorical themes indicative of a robust inner life of the physician. Nurturing physicians’ inner life through reflection allows physicians to recognize, identify, and respond to daily emotional events. Reflections about the state of physicians’ inner lives can formulate and express fundamental human questions that concern: (a) troubling human experiences (e.g., suffering, death, luck, destiny, and death); (b) questions that surface in practicing their profession; (c) spiritually explicit questions on their beliefs and practices. Physicians’ inner lives can become a ‘‘place’’ where physicians look for answers and explore options for dealing with their human and professional challenges, thus enhancing the humanistic aspects of medical practice.
Among the human and ethical resources that characterize both the ethical and Christian tradition,... more Among the human and ethical resources that characterize both the ethical and Christian tradition, emotions are often underappreciated, while emotions contribute to moral discernment, any decision-making process, and flourishing. By focusing on the ethical challenges of end of life care, the author explores the role played by emotions in people at the end of their lives, in healthcare professionals, and in institutional settings.
All of us have an “inner life” that forms the core of who we are. It shapes and is shaped by our ... more All of us have an “inner life” that forms the core of who we are. It shapes and is shaped by our actions and experiences. During physician training, attention to residents’ inner life requires a focus on their beliefs and emotions as well as their ethical and spiritual development, topics often considered to be outside the realm of clinical training and practice. We suggest that written reflections, as part of medical residency curriculum, can allow residents to explore their inner lives. The depth and range of residents’ explorations show the value of adding brief, protected time for residents to explore their hopes, joys, struggles, and feelings, and to develop meaning from their experiences with patients.
The article highlights the importance of critically examining medical missions to low-resourced c... more The article highlights the importance of critically examining medical missions to low-resourced countries in light of a bioethical focus on social justice and the promotion of the common good.
En Afrique, en Amérique Latine et en Asie, protéger l'environnement peut signifier donner sa vie.... more En Afrique, en Amérique Latine et en Asie, protéger l'environnement peut signifier donner sa vie. L'auteur examine des exemples tragiques de martyrs environnementaux et il réfléchit à la solidarité prophétique de ces martyrs et des communautés qui poursuivent leur engagement. Pour le bien de notre planète, tant dans le discours éthique dans la sphère séculière que dans la sphère ecclésiale – au niveau magistériel et dans le discours théologique – l'auteur présente des contributions qui réaffirment l'importance de la solidarité et, de manière prophétique, nous invitent à rejoindre l'engagement de ces martyrs. Pour vivre concrètement la solidarité, des pratiques prophétiques sont nécessaires et l'article se termine par quelques exemples qui inspirent notre solidarité et nous invitent à prendre soin de la Création.
In Africa, America Latina e Asia, proteggere l’ambiente può significare dare la propria vita. L’A... more In Africa, America Latina e Asia, proteggere l’ambiente può significare dare la propria vita. L’Autore esamina tragici esempi di martiri ambientali e riflette sulla solidarietà profetica di questi martiri e delle comunità che continuano il loro impegno. Per il bene del nostro pianeta, sia nel discorso etico in ambito secolare che in ambito ecclesiale – a livello magisteriale e nel discorso teologico – l’Autore presenta contributi che riaffermano l’importanza della solidarietà e, in modo profetico, ci invitano ad unirci all’impegno di questi martiri. Per vivere la solidarietà concretamente, pratiche profetiche sono necessarie e l’articolo si conclude con alcuni esempi che ispirano la nostra solidarietà e invitano a prenderci cura della Creazione.
Part II considers Christian doctrine and the human condition. M. offers philosophical reconsidera... more Part II considers Christian doctrine and the human condition. M. offers philosophical reconsideration of familiar metaphysical assumptions, suggesting that the “proper theological response to the problem of reconciling human suffering in a God of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness is not to try to solve the unsolvable, but to preserve the mystery of God” (vii). It is the deprivation that comes with suffering that we know we are not united with God who is All in all. Michael Himes distinguishes between pain and suffering, the latter being our awareness of being out of control, which can lead to despair. Of Jesus’ own physical and mental anguish H. writes, “It is in confronting this suffering that Jesus prayed that his Father’s will be accomplished even though it makes no sense to him at the moment” (117). Yet Jesus did take up the cross and all Christians are to do likewise. “We must remain faithful both to the reality of suffering and to the absolute love of God and not surrender either one to the other” (123). Moving from personal to global suffering—its causes, immediacy, and depths—to evil and the presence of God, Elizabeth Dreyer concludes, “If suffering has meaning, that meaning is love, for it is love that motivates us to weep . . . [and] to fight for justice” (135). Looking to the cross as what makes us fully human, Dryer sums up the collective insight of this book: “The Christian God takes human suffering seriously and personally enters into it, transforming it from within. . . . Suffering is a journey, allowing us to grow closer to God” (143).
Reflecting on the legacy of Paul Farmer one notices, first, how who he was and what he did with o... more Reflecting on the legacy of Paul Farmer one notices, first, how who he was and what he did with others to promote health, locally and globally, manifest the importance of a committed theological approach and, at the same time, how such an approach contributed to promote the agenda of global public health. Second, looking at the past (at him and his work) inspires and informs our present and future commitments to foster global public health with the contributions of a theological ethics shaped by a strong social agenda.
Grounded in a presupposition that a single explanatory framework cannot fully account for the exp... more Grounded in a presupposition that a single explanatory framework cannot fully account for the expansive learning processes that occur during medical residency, the article examines developing physicians’ reflective writing from three disciplinary lenses. The goal is to understand how the multi-dimensional nature of medical residency translates into assembling educational experiences and constructing meaning that cannot be fully explained through a single discipline. An interdisciplinary research team across medical education, communication, and ethics qualitatively analyzed reflective entries (N=756) completed by family medicine residents (N=33) across an academic year. Results provide evidence for moving toward an integrated thematic explanation across disciplines. The authors suggest that the integration of disciplinary explanations allows for comprehensive understanding of reflection as a cornerstone in the broader formation of the physician. Examples provide evidence for an inte...
To introduce the volume, Andrea Vicini, SJ, stresses the need to address the global cancer pandem... more To introduce the volume, Andrea Vicini, SJ, stresses the need to address the global cancer pandemic, while the world struggles with the ongoing pandemic caused by COVID-19. Cancer affects millions of people. It is the first or second cause of death in 134 countries, the leading cause of death in most high-income countries (i.e., 10 million deaths in 2020), and the leading cause of death by disease in American children. Cancer is also unjust. Striking inequities can be traced within and between countries in cancer incidence and survival by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic-status. Survival is much higher among the wealthy than among the poor. An overview of the volume introduces the following chapters.
The COVID-19 pandemic is critically analyzed as a social magnifying glass that exacerbates pre-ex... more The COVID-19 pandemic is critically analyzed as a social magnifying glass that exacerbates pre-existing unjust situations and contexts—locally, nationally, and internationally. Hence, to reflect ethically on the multiple challenges, which people face during this crisis, requires to address the social and political determinants of health. The essay articulates a systemic approach that examines, first, unjust structural dimensions (i.e., poverty, gender, and racism); and second, local and global practices in healthcare, with privileged attention given to structural dynamics, professionals, decisions, and institutional leadership. As a result, the ethics of global public health stresses how health is a shared, interconnected, and inclusive good that should be carefully protected and urgently promoted.
Concilium: Revista internacional de teología, 2021
La creciente presencia del poshumanismo en la cultura contemporánea
puede rastrearse en sus múlt... more La creciente presencia del poshumanismo en la cultura contemporánea
puede rastrearse en sus múltiples formas. Tras ejemplificar
este carácter omnipresente y algunas de sus manifestaciones,
se destacan algunas preocupaciones éticas que se centran en el
agente moral poshumano, en el riesgo de escapismo y en la confianza
incuestionable en la tecnología y sus promesas. Además, la
evaluación crítica se centra en las posibles aportaciones poshumanas
beneficiosas, al potenciar un cuestionamiento selectivo del humanismo,
así como en las lamentables pérdida; en particular, la
encarnación humana y social, que son fundamentales en la experiencia
cristiana configurada por la Encarnación.
In the U.S. healthcare system, telehealth is increasingly present and demands ethical assessment.... more In the U.S. healthcare system, telehealth is increasingly present and demands ethical assessment. On the one hand, telehealth increases access to healthcare services for some at-risk populations (e.g., people suffering from mental illness and addictions) and in specific contexts (e.g., rural). On the other hand, telehealth widens the digital divide and can lead to overuse of services. Furthermore, because it is still unclear how telehealth influences trust between patients and primary care clinicians, connecting relationship science and human communication research can inform critical reasoning. Finally, healthcare policy is advancing toward the wide adoption of telehealth. Hence, it is urgent to address these ethical issues and invest in further research.
This qualitative study introduces the broad and inclusive concept of the ‘‘inner life of physicia... more This qualitative study introduces the broad and inclusive concept of the ‘‘inner life of physicians’’ and analyzes the written reflections (N = 756) of family medicine residents (N = 33) during their residency as indicative of the physicians’ inner lives. Residents completed reflective entries without specific prompts. Researchers describe unsolicited emergent categorical themes indicative of a robust inner life of the physician. Nurturing physicians’ inner life through reflection allows physicians to recognize, identify, and respond to daily emotional events. Reflections about the state of physicians’ inner lives can formulate and express fundamental human questions that concern: (a) troubling human experiences (e.g., suffering, death, luck, destiny, and death); (b) questions that surface in practicing their profession; (c) spiritually explicit questions on their beliefs and practices. Physicians’ inner lives can become a ‘‘place’’ where physicians look for answers and explore options for dealing with their human and professional challenges, thus enhancing the humanistic aspects of medical practice.
Among the human and ethical resources that characterize both the ethical and Christian tradition,... more Among the human and ethical resources that characterize both the ethical and Christian tradition, emotions are often underappreciated, while emotions contribute to moral discernment, any decision-making process, and flourishing. By focusing on the ethical challenges of end of life care, the author explores the role played by emotions in people at the end of their lives, in healthcare professionals, and in institutional settings.
All of us have an “inner life” that forms the core of who we are. It shapes and is shaped by our ... more All of us have an “inner life” that forms the core of who we are. It shapes and is shaped by our actions and experiences. During physician training, attention to residents’ inner life requires a focus on their beliefs and emotions as well as their ethical and spiritual development, topics often considered to be outside the realm of clinical training and practice. We suggest that written reflections, as part of medical residency curriculum, can allow residents to explore their inner lives. The depth and range of residents’ explorations show the value of adding brief, protected time for residents to explore their hopes, joys, struggles, and feelings, and to develop meaning from their experiences with patients.
The article highlights the importance of critically examining medical missions to low-resourced c... more The article highlights the importance of critically examining medical missions to low-resourced countries in light of a bioethical focus on social justice and the promotion of the common good.
En Afrique, en Amérique Latine et en Asie, protéger l'environnement peut signifier donner sa vie.... more En Afrique, en Amérique Latine et en Asie, protéger l'environnement peut signifier donner sa vie. L'auteur examine des exemples tragiques de martyrs environnementaux et il réfléchit à la solidarité prophétique de ces martyrs et des communautés qui poursuivent leur engagement. Pour le bien de notre planète, tant dans le discours éthique dans la sphère séculière que dans la sphère ecclésiale – au niveau magistériel et dans le discours théologique – l'auteur présente des contributions qui réaffirment l'importance de la solidarité et, de manière prophétique, nous invitent à rejoindre l'engagement de ces martyrs. Pour vivre concrètement la solidarité, des pratiques prophétiques sont nécessaires et l'article se termine par quelques exemples qui inspirent notre solidarité et nous invitent à prendre soin de la Création.
In Africa, America Latina e Asia, proteggere l’ambiente può significare dare la propria vita. L’A... more In Africa, America Latina e Asia, proteggere l’ambiente può significare dare la propria vita. L’Autore esamina tragici esempi di martiri ambientali e riflette sulla solidarietà profetica di questi martiri e delle comunità che continuano il loro impegno. Per il bene del nostro pianeta, sia nel discorso etico in ambito secolare che in ambito ecclesiale – a livello magisteriale e nel discorso teologico – l’Autore presenta contributi che riaffermano l’importanza della solidarietà e, in modo profetico, ci invitano ad unirci all’impegno di questi martiri. Per vivere la solidarietà concretamente, pratiche profetiche sono necessarie e l’articolo si conclude con alcuni esempi che ispirano la nostra solidarietà e invitano a prenderci cura della Creazione.
Uploads
puede rastrearse en sus múltiples formas. Tras ejemplificar
este carácter omnipresente y algunas de sus manifestaciones,
se destacan algunas preocupaciones éticas que se centran en el
agente moral poshumano, en el riesgo de escapismo y en la confianza
incuestionable en la tecnología y sus promesas. Además, la
evaluación crítica se centra en las posibles aportaciones poshumanas
beneficiosas, al potenciar un cuestionamiento selectivo del humanismo,
así como en las lamentables pérdida; en particular, la
encarnación humana y social, que son fundamentales en la experiencia
cristiana configurada por la Encarnación.
practicing their profession; (c) spiritually explicit questions on their beliefs and practices. Physicians’ inner lives can become a ‘‘place’’ where physicians look for answers and explore options for dealing with their human and professional challenges, thus enhancing the humanistic aspects of medical practice.
puede rastrearse en sus múltiples formas. Tras ejemplificar
este carácter omnipresente y algunas de sus manifestaciones,
se destacan algunas preocupaciones éticas que se centran en el
agente moral poshumano, en el riesgo de escapismo y en la confianza
incuestionable en la tecnología y sus promesas. Además, la
evaluación crítica se centra en las posibles aportaciones poshumanas
beneficiosas, al potenciar un cuestionamiento selectivo del humanismo,
así como en las lamentables pérdida; en particular, la
encarnación humana y social, que son fundamentales en la experiencia
cristiana configurada por la Encarnación.
practicing their profession; (c) spiritually explicit questions on their beliefs and practices. Physicians’ inner lives can become a ‘‘place’’ where physicians look for answers and explore options for dealing with their human and professional challenges, thus enhancing the humanistic aspects of medical practice.