A Theological Framework for Understanding Hope in the Clinic (2025)

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Article Contents

  • Abstract

  • I. INTRODUCTION

  • II. DEFINING AND ASSESSING HOPE IN A MEDICAL SETTING

  • III. WHAT THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL(SPIRITUAL) TOOLS LACK9

  • IV. BETTER TOOLS IN UNSKILLED HANDS ARE NO BETTER

  • V. WHAT IS HEALTHY HOPE? A THEOLOGICAL VIEW

  • VI. CONCLUSION

  • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  • REFERENCES

  • Footnotes

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Andrea Thornton

Saint Louis University

,

St. Louis, Missouri

,

USA

Bon Secours Mercy Health

,

Cincinnati, OH

,

USA

Address correspondence to: Andrea Thornton, MTS, Saint Louis University, Center for Health Care Ethics, 3545 Lafayette Ave., 5th Floor, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA. E-mail: andrea.thornton@slu.edu

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Christian bioethics: Non-Ecumenical Studies in Medical Morality, cbae012, https://doi.org/10.1093/cb/cbae012

Published:

09 August 2024

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Abstract

Appeals to the miraculous are common in healthcare, and arguments about end-of-life decision-making can quickly become theological. Assessments of hope have been recommended within the biopsychosocialspiritual model of medicine, but these assessments fail to account for the theological dimension of hope. Examples of failed assessments include recent efforts in palliative care and classic works, such as On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. To adequately address the patient’s and family members’ hopes without patronizing or harming the patient, assessments must be done by a person trained in theology.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of The Journal of Christian Bioethics, Inc. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)

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