The relationship between faith, medicine, spirituality, and community health is constantly evolving- particularly during this time of rapid cultural and technological shift. Many patients wish to integrate matters of faith and spirit into their total healthcare. Those who provide healthcare are faced with increasing social and moral challenges. The health of our communities, culture, and larger ecology is in crisis. The time for new dialogue, action, and change is upon us.
The mission of this initiative is to bring students and faculty from broad backgrounds- including theology, medicine, and the humanities- together with community faith leaders and healthcare providers to create innovative scholarship, curricula, and community projects that address the following central questions:
- How can we better understand, and engage, the united suffering of individuals, communities and our larger ecology?
- How can conceptual frameworks from theology, the humanities, visual arts, and political science be better integrated into medical education to equip tomorrow’s healthcare leaders?
- How can we translate a broader awareness of suffering and health into actions that directly improve the well-being of communities?
