Abstract This paper considers the nature of faithhealing in today's society and traces its development through a belief in shamanism in traditional societies, noting how religion and medicine are often fused, with the religious leader also being the medicine man who knows the secrets of healing. Christians have faith in the healing power of prayer and depict Jesus as a healer as well.
From the Paper "Religion and medicine have had a long relationship. In modern times, the two are often at odds, with some believing more in faith than in science and others taking the opposite view. In traditional societies, religion and medicine are often fused, with the religious leader also being the medicine man who knows the secrets of healing. Christians have faith in the healing power of prayer and depict Jesus as a healer as well. Certain groups place a greater emphasis on faith than medicine, such as Christian Scientists, who do not take their health issues to doctors but to God."
Abstract A comprehensive analysis of the legality of parents denying their children access to health care on the basis of their involvement in a "faithhealing" religion such as Christian Science or Faith Tabernacle. The paper explains that for some residents of the United States, traditional medicine is not religiously acceptable in the face of sickness. On the contrary, these residents are so strongly against medicine that they will not even allow their children to see a doctor if they suffer from life threatening illnesses. It discusses how many followers of these religions are denying the use of traditional medicine and joining a movement that shies from what society considers the norm for treating sickness by putting their belief in God's ability to heal their family's illnesses. The paper argues however, that parents' religious convictions about the disuse of any type of medicine for their children should not be allowed as a legal means of denying their children this medicine because these convictions often cause the needless deaths and suffering of many children whom medical care would have helped.
From the Paper "For centuries America has debated to what extent church and state should be separated. More recently the argument about the disuse of medical treatment for religious reasons and the resulting deaths of the children of certain religious organization's followers has arisen. Since the seventeenth century when settlers came to America to escape religious persecution and seek religious freedom, the issue of separation of church and state has been in debate (Council 1). However, not all religions were given equal rights before the Bill of Rights was created: in Boston anyone preaching outside the established church could be fined or banned from the settlement (Weiss 11). Also, in areas that practiced South Anglicanism, those who spoke out against the Christian faith were sentenced to death (Weiss 11). However, the first amendment to the American Bill of Rights, which was passed in September of 1789, changed these discriminatory practices on a federal level and caused less religious discrimination to occur (Weiss 31). This amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (Bartlett 3). This amendment did not, however, guarantee the protection of United States citizens from state religious discrimination; but the fourteenth amendment, which was passed at a later date, did (Weiss 32). Opponents for and against parents' rights to deny their child medical care based on religious convictions are eager to solve the question of the relationship of church and state and the necessity of parents to obtain medical care as required by state governments. This issue has thus become a pressing argument that must be solved quickly because many children's lives are at stake."
From the Paper "Faith healing is the peculiarly Christian, particularly American, form of transcendentalism that remains as one of the few traditional entities of our culture surviving the transition from the 19th to 20th centuries. As the hallmark year of 2000 approaches, and with it the 21st C., faith healing promises to be with us still, surviving once again the slings of an empirical science that can create super-colliders that will find God (Begley, 1993, p. 57), ducking as always the arrows of the mainstream religious organizations with their claim to philosophical superiority. Identified as a phenomenon based generally in the right-wing sphere of the political spectrum, faith healing draws condescending scorn from the liberal end of the community. Science, the American religious establishment, and the liberal community do not have the right to do so."
Abstract Leo Thomas was a Dominican priest that taught pastoral care for eleven years at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkley and the Menninger Foundation. As a member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement in San Francisco and Seattle, Thomas became convinced that there were alternative methods of spiritual healing within the congregation. This paper provides background information on the career and religious philosophy of Dominican priest, Leo Thomas and discusses the book he wrote on spiritual healing entitled "Healing Ministries".
From the Paper "Thomas founded the Institute for Christian Ministries in order to address this need, then began to write about his knowledge as a means of sharing these concepts with others. For "Healing Ministries: A Practical Guide", Thomas worked with freelance writer and Christian Ministries board member Jan Alkire to produce the work. Leo Thomas passed away in 1997. Father Leo Thomas wanted to guide others to an understanding of how to teach healing. The concept of healing was directed at the spiritual health of the individual, and it concerned all individuals of all..."
Abstract This paper examines the role of holism in the delivery of effective care that facilitates healing. The concepts of holism, caring and healing are reviewed. Applications of the combined concepts are discussed.
From the Paper " This research reviews the concept of holistic healing. The concept of healing is relevant in a variety of contexts. As an example, people referred to a need for healing at both personal and societal levels in the United States..."
Abstract This paper discusses and analyzes whether or not using healing environment design strategies in senior assisted living and retirement communities affect the health and well-being of the elderly. Design methods and models are discussed and analyzed as key findings are determined and examined. The paper concludes that research studies are demonstrative of the benefits of healing environment design, which has also been proven to be advantageous for the health care provider and staff.
From the Paper "Alternative interior design practices that are representative of healing environments are gaining popularity as the demand for new methods for designing retirement and senior living communities for the aging increases. Sufficient evidence currently exists that justifies the need for implementing healing environment design methods in the built environment as a means to promote and support human health and well-being. Some researchers suggest that the elderly living in communities that offer senior living that are based on healing environments have higher rates satisfaction in living standards and are living longer compared to those seniors who live in the stereotypical retirement community and often experience cold and drab conditions."
Abstract This paper takes a look at why religion should be concerned with healing. The author examines this topic by underlying the roles that religion plays in society, emphasizing the important role in providing safety and universal truth to people.
From the Paper "All religions serve a number of important psychological and social functions: they reduce anxiety by explaining the unknown and provide comfort in the belief that supernatural help is available in times of crisis. Religion, therefore, serves to relate suffering to universal truths and provide a safety valve for the manifestation of fears and paradoxical events."
Abstract This paper discusses whether traditional healers and their practices can be reconciled with the mainstream bio-medical health care community. The author points out that the bio-medical establishment has always been critical of alternative medicines and treatments. The paper relates that recent studies indicate that the future expansion or decline of traditional healing will ultimately be determined by public acceptance or rejection on a global scale, not by local doctors or traditional healers.
From the Paper "In examining whether traditional healers and their practices can be reconciled with the biomedical health care community, it is evident that the mainstream biomedical establishment has always been critical of alternative medicines and treatments. But it is also evident from recent studies that the future expansion or decline of traditional healing will ultimately be determined by public acceptance or rejection on a global scale, not by local doctors or traditional healers (Vitebsky 276-279)."
Abstract The paper defines health as wellness which is actively sought. The paper explains healing to refer to integration of the body, mind and spirit. Health is holistic because the three domains of body, mind and spirit are interrelated. The patient knows and the patient is always active. The paper shows how Parse maintains that health is a personal commitment that is based on the patient value priorities.
Abstract This paper explores the meaning and use of mysticism in the religious faiths of Christianity and Islam. The author shows the reader how mysticism impacts the faiths and allows the reader to explore the truth of the existence within the faith.
From the Paper "Around the world the religious faiths of people can be a powerful motivator for living a life free from anger and sin. Many people live their life according to a doctrine that they take to be truth based on little more than their own personal faith that the religion exists as does the higher power that the faith has been build upon. Mysticism in both faiths plays an important role. It guides the followers many times when the only thing they have is their faith. However, even though mysticism is woven into each faith it is used, viewed and believed in different ways."
Abstract This research examines the concept of faithfulness as it relates to religion. The research sets forth the context for looking at the religious principles that reflect moral character and then discusses how faithfulness to God's principles reflects a commitment to moral thought and action, as well as a faith and trust in God.
From the Paper "The life of faith might seem to involve a simple idea about belief in God, but in fact faith is a very complex concept. The term is used in various ways in the Christian tradition. There is of course the famous statement of Jesus when he calms the storm in the sea of Galilee: "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" (Matt. 8:26). In that context, faith is to be interpreted as the equivalent of absolute trust, or more specifically, the equivalent of man's unquestioned trust in God. The spiritual experience of trust is thereby interpreted as the actual experience of faith. This idea is also in the background of Paul's injunction to the Corinthians, in his discourse about how the first-century Christian community ought to behave: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Cor. 10.13). Psalm 91 makes a similar point, characterizing the Lord as "my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust . . . He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." In The Book of Common Prayer, the latter line of the Psalm runs thus: "his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler." The slight difference in the meaning of faith conveyed in these various contexts is that faith is not a one-way street, inasmuch as those who do have faith are said to be able to rely on God's good will and/or providence in situations of moral uncertainty."
Abstract This paper takes an in-depth look at Florida's faith and character based correctional facilities - the largest in the United States. The author examines the accountability, legal and ethical considerations in addition to the political and stakeholder issues regarding these institutions in an attempt to discover a potential benefit for society or a potential harm in having a governmental agency run completely faith-and character-based institutions. The paper gives a brief history of the development of faith and character based correctional facilities and then discusses issues such as accountability, legal and ethical considerations and political and stakeholder issues.
Outline:
Introduction / Basic Organizational Information
A Basic Background and History
Accountability
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Political and Stakeholder Issue
In summary
References
From the Paper Lawety was established as a Faith-and Character-Based Correctional Institution for men on December 24, 2003 and has a bed capacity of 835, making it the first Faith-and Character-Based Correctional Institution in the country. However, of importance is that by this time the Florida Department of Corrections had already been operating 10 Faith-and Character-Based Dormitories in several of their prisons. Florida Department of Corrections [FDC-E], Nd.; Florida Department of Corrections [FDC-F], Nd.). Hillsborough was created on April 14, 2004 for women with a housing capacity of 292 beds, and Wakula was created on March 1, 2006 with a bed capacity of 1,756 for men. (id).
Tags: crime prison faith correctional institution florida, jeb bush, society police
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at Kierkegaard's work "Fear and Trembling". Using this review, the writer offers an account of two models of faith presented by Kierkegaard. The writer discusses his ideas on religious believers. Further, the writer looks at the concept of faith, as expressed in Kierkegaard's model of humankind.
From the Paper "In 'Fear and Trembling' Kierkegaard explains that for religious believers to have faith they must simply yield to what is incomprehensible or absurd about their experience of the finite world. God the believer realizes is infinite and thus incapable of comprehension and the lesson of finite experience is that neither God nor reason works in the world. That is worldly experience is the absurd not to say evil. How then can there be faith? Repeatedly Kierkegaard uses the phrase 'by virtue of the absurd' which suggests ... "
Abstract This paper presents an examination of health issues in the Jewish faith. The paper outlines many of the beliefs of the Jewish culture and how these beliefs can affect the care of a Jewish patient. The paper then explains how nurses can comply with the beliefs of the Jewish patient in their care.
From the Paper "America has always prided itself on its cultural diversity. Millions of immigrants each year flock to its borders for the purpose of living in a land where all cultures are embraced. While America works hard to embrace the diverse traditions of its residents there are areas in which the differences can create complications. One of those areas is the health care field. In the field of health care nurses are charged with the care and advocacy of their patients and the patients? families. Within that scope it is important for the nurses to understand and work with the different cultures they may encounter. The Jewish culture is a unique one in the field of medicine as there are a disproportionate number of Jewish doctors in the field when compared to other cultures (The Healers..http://www.geocities.com/buddychai/Religion/TheHealers.html), but that does not carry into the nursing field. "
