Abstract
This paper aims to determine the relationship between nursing and Christianity. It will tackle topics that will support the claim that Christianity and nursing should co-exist with each other.
God Amidst Science: A Paper That Examines Christianity in the Midst of Nursing
Introduction
The battle between Science and Christianity has raged on for so long. Science continues to crush Christianity’s doctrines by proving alternate theories to explanations offered by the Bible and the Church. An example would be the story of Creation (Genesis 1:1-31 New International Version) which science disproved by the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin.
Yet, in this era wherein people are losing hope with low moral values, families and lives are being compromised for a moment of enjoyment, and the main purpose of people’s lives is to enjoy, it is no wonder that it seems that Science got the upper-hand in the war. A popular novel, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, did not help matters either as it further demolished the Church’s basic teachings. After the novel’s instant hit, people from left and right are questioning their beliefs and trading other religions over their own.
Despite the adversities against the Church, however, it continues to trudge on wearily. Little by little, step by step, the Church is able to charm people into coming back and believing in God. With this modern era, a person’s hopelessness is able to draw him or her closer to the Church, since it offers refuge, shelter, and hope. People would like to believe that there is something out there that will protect them from hunger, death, and illness. They want to believe that there is a higher purpose for living.
This paper intends to affirm what was long established a long time ago: the good always triumphs over what is evil. In the view of medicine, this paper will determine why Christianity and nursing go hand in hand.
Illness, Death, and the Fallen World
Many question why God permits death and suffering for His people and servants. If such a God of Love exists, then why does He allow suffering and pain? Yet, the Lord only tests His servants in order to make them stronger. This will enable them to cope up with life better, if they have the ability to withstand pain and suffering.
In nursing, it is impossible for a practitioner to be protected from death. Death is all around the students, nurses, and teachers. Some patients will die while one is going in for rounds; others are dead before they arrive at the hospital. Sometimes, it would be too late to do something to save a life, and it is always a horrible feeling to have a patient die. No matter how many times a practitioner sees someone die, it always hurts as much as the first time.
Still Christianity responds by telling people that illness and death are results of a fallen world. The original sin from Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-21) has infected their descendents, thus spreading the sin to all mankind. It also makes sense as individual illness may not be the direct result of individual sin, but also is a symptom of a sinful world.
For example, lung cancer is caused by excessive smoking and abusing of one’s lungs. Diabetes is a deadly disease with its complications just because someone did not stop eating too many sweets. Back pain comes from slouching all day in the world, arthritis from typing all day—these ailments are not caused by someone’s sin, but rather is a result of a sinful world. This sinful world consists of unhealthy lifestyles wherein everything is rushed. For those who are working and who want to finish eating immediately, they head to fast food restaurants that sell foods filled with preservatives. People indulge in drinking, smoking, partying, doing drugs, and whoring around—and later in life, they will have to face the consequences of their actions.
A Vatican official, Archbishop Paul Cordes, even declared that illness is caused by sin (Fraser, 2002). To further support the claims made in the above paragraph, here is an excerpt from the article: “He [Archbishop Paul Cordes] suggested that the scriptures show that illness is caused by sin […] Father Brian Lucas, a Catholic priest in Sydney, suggested that some poor lifestyle choices, such as excessive drinking, may cause poor health” (cited in Fraser, 2002, n.p.). These poor lifestyle choices are by-products of a sinful world.
God the Ultimate Healer
Although nurses and doctors are able to heal through years of study, perseverance, and determination, God is still the Ultimate Healer. The Bible is filled with passages and praises for Him who made the deaf hear, the mute talk, and the lame stand and walk. He even made the dead rise and healed a woman with a bleeding disorder just by touching the hem of His coat. The famous verse, “Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28) provides people with hope that they are not alone with whatever trials they face in the Lord. The Lord heals His people, and He can do so with just His Word.
The Bible preaches about health: what to eat, what is unhealthy (Leviticus 11), and other guidelines about health. In his book, Kramer (1988) even goes as far as saying that God is the Ultimate healer. It is always encouraged by the doctors and nurses to tell their patients to pray for their illness to be better so that they will be able to live fuller lives. The Lord offers not only physical healing, but spiritual healing as well. As He says, all one has to do is ask.
There is Only One God
There will be many times in the nursing profession wherein patients will scream and blame the nurses for the death of their loved ones. It cannot be helped that sometimes, even though the attending nurse and physician did everything they can to save the patient, the patient still dies. One will often find families questioning doctors and nurses why they allowed their loved ones to die, especially if the nurse or doctor made a promise that everything will be alright.
With this, it is wise to remember the First Commandment from the book of Exodus. Exodus 20:30 says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Therefore, it goes to show that there should only be one God within the world.
It is interesting to know that during ancient times, people live far from each other—in different continents and parts of the world. Yet as time progressed, and technology made it possible to investigate unexplored lands, people of different cultures, tribes, and walks of life, somehow believed in a form of a “supreme being,” “a higher being,” or a “God.” They have no means of talking to one another and finding out their religious standards, yet somehow, they all believed in one truth.
Hence, one should put into mind that there should only be one God. Doctors and nurses should be careful in overstepping their marks between God’s servants in the healing ministry and being gods themselves. Such instances are when nurses tell people when they are going to die. Only God is able to predict what will happen, and it is important never do God’s work for Him. He has unfathomable plans for each person in the planet, and it is only a matter of time before this plan comes to light. By telling patients approximately when they’re going to die, nurses are playing gods in a way, since they are over-stepping that mark between being humans and acting like gods.
Another instance is when nurses would advise patients to go to a medical route that will have dangers to the patient. An example is when a mother is asked not to have a cesarean section with her pregnancy when the baby’s lungs are underdeveloped. This is for the baby’s lungs would be developed further so that it could breath on its own. However, having a sickly baby inside a mother is very risky for the mother.
There are countless instances when nurses played the god card and harmed people. By declaring to people when they are going to live or die, one is actually abolishing their dreams and hope for recovery that they will be alright. As journalists from Newsweek Magazine (2009) say, there is only one God, and somehow, this brings comfort to people, knowing that their God will not play dice with the universe (quoted from Albert Einstein).
Conclusion
It is interesting to note that there are so many intersecting circles between nursing and Christianity. Christianity affirms that there should be no harm done to other people, and this goes hand in hand with the Hippocratic Oath. A patient’s life is always the priority in this field, and no matter what happens, a nurse’s main purpose is to make sure that the patient is safe and secure in their beds.
Nurses should be patient and should observe proper bedside manners, such as not telling patients how much time they have left. That role in life is only given to God alone, and no one but He is able to determine when people will die.
Also, prayer goes a long way when it comes to illnesses. Since illnesses and sickness are caused by a sinful world and nature and lavish lifestyles are products of sin per se, people are still able to redeem themselves. Everybody should take good care of his or her body, as it is the Lord’s temple, and it should be cherished and cared for. If only people will start acting like they know their bodies are God’s temple, then the hospital casualty rates may go down, and people may be able to live long, full lives.
References
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Fraser, Jane. (2002, February 7). Illness is wages of sin, warns Vatican. Australasian
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Kramer, K. (1988). The Sacred Art of Dying: How World Religions Understand Death. New
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Krishnamurthy, M. (2005, August 29). County Health Officials taking Message to Pulpit.
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