Christian Spirituality and Postmodern Relativism in Healthcare
There exists a collision between the Christian perspective of spirituality and ethics and postmodern relativism, and the two paradigms affect healthcare. The current healthcare practices focus more on a holistic approach in which mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional support is provided (Fuente-Martos et al., 2018). Spirituality is a significant aspect of human healing, and it helps people adjust to their new conditions, although it is contraposed with relativism. Despite the difference between the two paradigms, healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should understand their central premise to offer high-quality healthcare and avoid biases regardless of their patient’s beliefs.
Spirituality and ethics are well-defined in various religious texts which guide Christian beliefs. Christian spirituality considers human beings, character, and life as part of the divine order guided by external supernatural powers. According to Stanberry (2020), all living things, including humans, have a supreme being (God) who controls and provides power to navigate through life. In other words, humans do not exist independently and cannot be self-sustaining. The Christian perspective of spirituality significantly impacts healthcare, as patients and nurses incorporate faith and God’s will in the healing process. Faith, compassion, and kindness are some of the morality laws and values that guide healthcare practice according to the Christian perspective.
On the other hand, postmodern relativism indicates that nothing is absolute or definite. This approach assumes that the laws of nature, truth or falsehood, morality, and ethics are only bound to a single situation and are not guided by any standards. For instance, what one person may consider as truth may differ from another person’s perspective in different circumstances. The postmortem relativism approach relies on science and evidence to explain and comprehend human existence (Mietzner, (2020). Thus, it is guided by the assumption that what cannot be scientifically proven is nonexistent. However, this approach appreciates the existence of knowledge beyond human understanding but does not tie it to monotheism or any religious inclination. In healthcare, nurses affected by postmodern relativism values consider healing a product of procedures and practices such as lifestyle changes.
Scientism and Arguments Against It
Scientism is an extreme belief in science as the superior and only way of explaining the existence of everything. This belief holds that only scientifically proven empirical methods can help understand different ideologies and the existence of things, thus rendering all other methods, such as religion, philosophy, and metaphysical claims, unnecessary (Peels, 2017). Scientism gained popularity in the 17th century following the great scientific revolution, when people made discoveries that informed different aspects of the physical world. Since then, scientists have developed and used varying instruments and methods to explore the world.
False objectivity is one of the main arguments against scientism. Newbanks et al. (2017) state that science is a human creation based on systems and people’s interpretations. For instance, scientists’ views of a particular phenomenon may differ, but they use the same scientific methods to explore it. In addition, scientism implies that things that cannot be scientifically tested and explained empirically do not exist (Moreland, 2018). However, many aspects of the physical world remain unexplained, yet they affect people’s existence.
Another argument against scientism is that it only provides a limited scope of understanding, ignoring experience and human knowledge. According to Mietzner (2020), not all knowledge can be tested empirically. For instance, experience provides a solid basis for understanding people’s proficiency in handling specific tasks. While this aspect affects life, it cannot be quantified using empirical or scientific methods. Similarly, the role of moral and ethical considerations can only be explained using other approaches. Thus, a more pluralistic approach is necessary to help understand things instead of scientism, which narrows to scientific evidence.
Personal Perspective and Worldview
Ultimate Reality
The ultimate reality is that the world and everything in it are controlled by a supernatural power beyond human understanding and knowledge. While approaches like scientism and relativity try to prove otherwise, they lack sufficient knowledge and capacity to explain every phenomenon. In addition, since the two are based on human understanding, they lack objectivity. My firm belief in supernatural power points me to God, the sustainer and creator of all things. Guided by Christian principles as recorded in the Bible, God causes harmony in the existence of everything, a phenomenon that cannot be humanly explained. In addition, the origin and continuity of life, including all living things, are controlled by God, who is the originator and sustainer of life.
Nature of the Universe
Since my perspective of ultimate reality is God, the nature of the universe can thus be defined as part of God’s creation. In the first book, the Bible outlines the order in which all things were created in six days. It is clear that before creation, nothing existed, as the Bible says, and the earth was void and formless. From creation sprouted life of humans, animals, trees, and everything else found on earth. Although there are inventions tied to human innovativeness, the knowledge to accomplish these originates from God, the creator. The universe is thus a provision of God from which He holds all life, knowledge, power, and all other things that exist in it.
Human Being
In my perspective, humans are part of God’s creation and are made higher in thinking and reasoning than other creatures. Humans express great powers compared to animals. For instance, they can hold conversations, plan, take responsibility, and understand, unlike animals, which cannot do either. Based on Christian beliefs, humans were made in the likeness and image of God, making them more memorable. Although people’s intellectual capabilities, body structure, and beliefs vary significantly, it is clear that they all have the same origin. Caring for other creatures is one of the most significant responsibilities given to human beings at creation. This may explain why nature (including plants and animals) depends on human beings for care and protection.
Knowledge
I perceive knowledge as an ability to discern, comprehend things, and make informed decisions about situations. Knowledge is an essential aspect of life that helps humans coexist and coexist in the world. While my Christian beliefs and foundations inform that God gives knowledge, I think there is a human aspect to maintaining it. For instance, by reading the Bible, one gains more knowledge about God, increases faith and can live and understand things better. The world views knowledge as a result of experience and practice, but I hold a contrary opinion. Only the creator gives knowledge to humans, expressed through how they interact with each other and nature.
Basis of Ethics
I strongly believe in Christianity, where morality and ethics are the core pillars. The standards of peaceful existence involve and are not limited to ethical values such as kindness, compassion, love, responsibility, and respect. These values significantly contribute to character and help determine whether one is morally upright. Therefore, I believe that people should exercise these values to help them interact reasonably well with each other. In addition, the corporate world, where personal beliefs are less considered, still promotes ethics, confirming that it is an essential human requirement despite their belief. Lastly, ethics and morality play a significant role in healthcare as they help nurses be humane and considerate when offering services.
The Purpose of My Existence
The purpose of my existence is deeply rooted in the Christian and spiritual perspective. I was created for a purpose that must align with God’s will. To expound it further, I believe God desires to be obeyed and respected as the supreme being in the universe. Therefore, the purpose of my existence is to fulfill all his commands and follow the path he guides. Through faith, I can discern right and wrong and follow his guidelines to accomplish everything. Focusing on my profession, I aim to offer compassionate healthcare to all people and show love, empathy, kindness, and respect despite our differences. I also understand that while accomplishing this, I might face challenges, but I must always remain focused and depend on God’s providence.
References
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Kusch, M. (2020). Relativism in the Philosophy of Science. Elements in the Philosophy of Science. Web.
Mietzner, M. (2020). Populist Anti-Scientism, Religious Polarisation, and Institutionalised Corruption: How Indonesia’s Democratic Decline Shaped Its COVID-19 Response. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 39(2). Web.
Moreland, J. P., & Rescher, N. (2018). Review of Metaphysical Perspectives, RESCHERNicholas. The Review of Metaphysics, 72(1 (285)), 151–153. Web.
Newbanks, R. S., Rieg, L. S., & Schaefer, B. (2017). What Is Caring in Nursing? Sorting Out Humanistic and Christian Perspectives. Journal of Christian Nursing, 35(3), 1. Web.
Stanberry, K. O. (2020). An Integrative Model of Spiritual Formation: Incorporating Practices from Christian Spirituality and Psychotherapy. Digitalcollections.tyndale.ca. Web.
University, K., Griffin, S. J. M., Chonnachtaigh, S. U., Wrigley, A. J., & Wilkinson, S. (2020). Research, Keele University. Eprints Keele. Web.