Tag Archives: spirituality

Prayerful Patient

Published: May 28, 2009

Mrs. Albert is 83 years old. She has multiple medical problems that are quite real and that produce chronic, progressive pain and weakness. She is on a number of medications, and she is faithful to the regimen her doctors prescribe. Nevertheless, nothing the doctors do seems to help her. On the other hand, her faith helps her to cope and to maintain independence and the church-related activities that are so important to her. She told her doctors, “Whenever you pray, you get healing from God.”

Mrs. Albert’s doctor is impressed by his patient’s fortitude, and he wants to understand better the relation of health to religion. He has read articles by Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University, so he wrote to Dr. Koenig asking for some advice. Dr. Koenig’s answer regarding chronic pain and prayer has both medical and spiritual elements. Other doctors, however, disagree fundamentally with Dr. Koenig and explain differently the relation of Mrs. Albert’s prayer to her condition.

Issues and Study Questions

  • Based on the overview above, what are the beliefs and issues here?
  • If you were the doctor, what would you do differently?
  • Would the other doctor’s advice change how you treated your patient?
  • Is there an issue here, if Mrs. Albert is compliant in her care?
  • Was religion an issue in this situation?
  • What is the responsibility of the doctor in such a situation? What about other professions?
  • Do you think there is a “right” and “wrong” way to handle this situation? Why? Why not?
  • Have you faced similar issues in your own profession or personal life? If so, what were they? Were they resolved?
  • What can be learned?
  • Do you think education about religious literacy would have helped/harmed in this situation? How so?

Source: Religion and the Professions (General Honors 1030) taught by Dr. Jill Raitt, University of Missouri

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Animal Cruelty or Age-Old Custom?

Published: May 28, 2009

John’s hometown, like many American municipalities, has enacted an ordinance that prohibits the killing of livestock animals, except by law enforcement officials, veterinary specialists, and licensed meatpackers and butcheries. The stated reasons for such an ordinance relate to public health and sanitation. Violations of the ordinance can result in fines, and in extreme cases, imprisonment.

John’s hometown has a significant Hmong community. Assume that members of that community legally purchased pigs or chickens and sacrificed them in public following the traditional Hmong procedure. None of the Hmong have the required license. Neighbors call the police, who issue a citation for violation of the ordinance. The Hmong explain that they were not aware of the ordinance, and that animal sacrifice is an age-old Hmong custom.

Barbara, prosecuting district attorney, and Juan, the lawyer for the Hmong, are developing the legal arguments for each side, which they will present to the presiding judge. If the Hmong stipulate that they are not licensed and did sacrifice the animals in public, how should the judge rule on their defense that the act is an integral part of the Hmong culture?

Issues and Study Questions

  • Based on the overview above, what is the conflict?
  • What are the beliefs at issue here?
  • If you were a leader/policymaker, would you recommend any suggestions or changes to the ordinance?
  • Why did the Hmong object to the ordinance?
  • What could the Hmong community members/city leaders do differently?
  • Why was religion an issue in this situation?
  • What is the responsibility of city government/county attorneys/Hmong attorney in such a situation? What about other professions?
  • Do you think there is a “right” and “wrong” way to handle this situation? Why? Why not?
  • Have you faced similar conflicts in your own profession or personal life? If so, what were they? Were they resolved?
  • What can be learned?
  • Do you think education about religious literacy would have helped/harmed in this situation? How so?

Source: Religion and the Professions (General Honors 1030) taught by Dr. Jill Raitt, University of Missouri

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Faithful Reporting

Published: May 28, 2009

Jeff Reynolds has been sent to do a follow-up article on an accident in Cairo, Ill. A school bus approaching a railroad crossing stopped as it must by law. A semi truck did not slow and struck the bus from behind, sending it into the path of an oncoming train. Eleven school children between the ages of six and twelve were killed and fifteen others were injured. The bus driver was also killed. The truck driver was slightly injured, was taken to the hospital, treated and released.

Jeff decided to interview parents of the dead and injured children. Several pairs of parents refused to talk with him; their pain was not a public matter, they said. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Buckton did agree to speak with Jeff. He went to their home for the interview. Mrs. Buckton showed Jeff a picture of Jenny, aged 8, their beautiful, intelligent, playful daughter, their only child. She wept and continued to speak about her wonderful, dead child. Mr. Buckton remained stolidly silent, arms crossed, eyes down. Jeff turned to him to ask what sustained him during this terrible tragedy? Mr. Buckton looked at his wife and then said that only their faith kept them from going to the truck driver’s house to confront him and perhaps, admitted Mr. Buckton, do him physical harm. He was angry, deeply angry, but he was controlling it and trying to find the strength to forgive the truck driver whom the Bucktons felt was responsible for their Jenny’s death.

“Where do you look for such strength?” Jeff asked.

Mrs. Buckton looked at her husband who said, “In our faith. Jesus forgave his executioners. I wonder if he could have forgiven them if they had killed his daughter?”

Jeff wasn’t sure what to do at this point. He knew that his editor was against any mention of God in the paper and especially against stories that seemed to support any particular faith. Jeff wrote the story of the Buckton’s struggle pretty much as they had told it to him.  The story appeared without any mention of faith, only of the Bucktons’ anger at the truck driver.

Issues and Study Questions

  • Based on the overview above, what are the issues?
  • What are the beliefs at issue here?
  • Should Jeff have mentioned religion in his story? If so, how should he have done so?
  • What could Jeff or his editor do differently?
  • What do you feel the newspaper/parents should do here?
  • Why was religion an issue in this situation?
  • What do you think the parents’/readers’ reaction was to this story?
  • What is the responsibility of journalists in such a situation? What about other professions?
  • Do you think there is a “right” and “wrong” way to handle this situation? Why? Why not?
  • Have you faced similar issues in your own profession or personal life? If so, what were they? Were they resolved?
  • What can be learned?
  • Do you think education about religious literacy would have helped/harmed in this situation? How so?

Source: Religion and the Professions (General Honors 1030) taught by Dr. Jill Raitt, University of Missouri

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The Ill Boy

Published: May 28, 2009

The 7-year old son of African immigrants has a chronic disease. Although the condition is serious, it is easily treated with medications and changes in diet. The family frequently misses scheduled appointments. After six months of treatment, the child shows little improvement, and the American doctors have determined that the family is noncompliant. Translators have attempted to bridge the gap between the doctors and the family, with only limited success. The nurses wonder whether a well qualified social worker could help the situation. The hospital administrators are looking for a social worker with the skills and educational background to help improve the situation.

Issues and Study Questions

  • Based on the overview above, what are the issues?
  • What beliefs are at issue here?
  • Why were the parents “noncompliant?”
  • What could the doctors/nurses do differently?
  • What do you feel the doctors/admistrators should do here?
  • How could a specialized social worker assist in this situation?
  • Was religion an issue in this situation?
  • What is the responsibility of the health care community in such a situation? What about other professions?
  • Do you think there is a “right” and “wrong” way to handle this situation? Why? Why not?
  • Have you faced similar issues in your own profession or personal life? If so, what were they? Were they resolved?
  • What can be learned?
  • Do you think education about religious literacy would have helped/harmed in this situation? How so?

Source: Religion and the Professions (General Honors 1030) taught by Dr. Jill Raitt, University of Missouri

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Religion and the News Media

Published: May 28, 2009

This case utilizes the following four articles. The situation described in the problem is hypothetical.

The journalistic coverage of religion is on the rise as the visibility of religion and spirituality increases in American society, politics and popular culture. The managing editors of the publications that printed the stories listed above have been inundated with reader feedback – both positive and negative. After seeing the volume and passion of the letters, the editors decide they must respond. Each editor asks the ombudsman to evaluate the stories to determine whether the stories were fair. Ultimately the editors want the ombudsmen to write columns on how reporters should cover controversial issues involving religion and diverse religious beliefs and practices with which reporters may be unfamiliar. The ombudsmen will also consider ways for reporters to minimize personal bias in reporting about religion.

Issues and Study Questions

  • Based on the overview above, what are the issues?
  • What are the beliefs at issue here?
  • Why did the readers support or object to the coverage?
  • What could the journalists do differently?
  • What do you feel the ombudsmen should do here?
  • Why was religion an issue in this situation?
  • What is the responsibility of the publishers in such a situation? What about other professions?
  • Do you think there is a “right” and “wrong” way to handle this situation? Why? Why not?
  • Have you faced similar issues in your own profession or personal life? If so, what were they? Were they resolved?
  • What can be learned?
  • Do you think education about religious literacy would have helped/harmed in this situation? How so?

Source: Religion and the Professions (General Honors 1030) taught by Dr. Jill Raitt, University of Missouri

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