Theological Analyses of the Clinical Encounter

Efforts to evaluate the clinical encounter in terms of autonomous agents governed by rationally justified moral principles continue to be criticised. These essays, written by physicians, ethicists, theologians and philosophers, examine various models of the clinical encounter emerging out of these criticisms and explore the prospects they offer for theological and religious discourse. Individual essays focus on the reformulation of covenant models; revisions of principles approaches; and topics such as power, authority, narrative, rhetoric, dialogue, and alterity. The essays display a range of conclusions about whether theology articulates generally accessible religious insights or is a tradition-specific discipline. Hence the volume reflects current debates in theology while analysing current models of the clinical encounter. Students, professionals, and scholars who find themselves at the intersection of theology and medicine will welcome these voices in an ongoing conversation.

Introduction. 1. Theology, Ethics, and the Clinical Encounter; G.P. McKenny. Section One: The Medical Covenant Past, Present, and Future. 2. Interpreting the Physician-Patient Relationship: Uses and Abuses of the Covenant Model; R. Hamel. 3. The Medical Covenant: an Ethics of Obligation or Virtue; W.F. May. 4. Trust in the Clinical Encounter: Implications for a Covenant Model; E.R. DuBose. Section Two: Principles in Revision. 5. Autonomy and Trust in the Clinical Encounter: Reflections from a Theological Perspective; D. Thomasma, E. Pellegrino. 6. Exousia: Healing with Authority in the Christian Tradition; D.P. Sulmasy. 7. Conflicting Loyalties: Beneficence--Love within Limits; J. Glaser. 8. Empowerment in the Clinical Encounter; K. Lebacqz. Section Three: Beyond Principles. 9. Listening to the Different Voices: Toward a Poetic Bioethics; P. Lauritzen. 10. Reason, Narrative, and Rhetoric: a Theoretical Collage for the Clinical Encounter; S. Churchill, L. Churchill. 11. Illness and the Other; R.M. Zaner. 12. Cultural Diversity and the Clinical Encounter: Intercultural Dialogue in Multi-Ethnic Patient Care; E. Heitman. Conclusion. 13. Theology and the Clinical Encounter: Reflections from a Clinician; J.R. Sande. Index.