Ethical and Spiritual Decision Making in Healthcare

The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people from a variety of faiths. This calls for knowledge and understanding of a diversity of faith expressions; for the purpose of this course, the focus will be on the Christian worldview. Based on "Case Study: End of Life Decisions," the Christian worldview, and the worldview questions presented in the required topic study materials you will complete an ethical analysis of George's situation and his decision from the perspective of the Christian worldview. Provide a 1,500-2,000-word ethical analysis while answering the following questions: How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the fallenness of the world? How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the hope of resurrection? 

Running head:ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
Name of the student
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1ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
Abstract
Chronic disease come with a lot of pain and sufferings to the patient as well as to the
family. Religious beliefs play a significant role while an individual face a choice of life and
death. This paper focuses on George, who is in mid-fifties and has been diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). His condition is degenerative, and his condition will
deteriorate slowly in a period. Knowing the condition, he analyzed his present situation and
considered euthanasia as a solution to end his sufferings. The paper will shed light on the
ethical analysis of George's situation from the perspective of the Christian worldview.

2ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
Table of Contents
Fallenness of the world..............................................................................................................3
Hope of resurrection...................................................................................................................3
Value of his life as a person.......................................................................................................4
Considering Euthanasia..............................................................................................................5
Values and considerations..........................................................................................................5
Recommendation........................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

3ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
Fallenness of the world
The majority believes the existence of God in this world. Believing in God for most of
the important facts turns out to make sense of his existence. However, some people struggle
over God on some set of facts. Christians consider this as fallenness of the world (Sumner,
2014). Along with pain and suffering, it also includes the wrongdoings that humans do to
each other or themselves. Despite having good reasons to believe in God's existence, the deep
fallenness of the world that comprises of pain and suffering leads to the non-existence of
great and perfect God. Suffering is not part of God's creation, but George’s suffering can be
depicted in three ways: Suffering as a consequence of sin, suffering is an intruder, suffering is
a mystery (Peels, Van Eyghen & Van den Brink, 2018).
Suffering is a byproduct of sin or can be defined as an effect of fall on a cosmic scale. It is
believed that he who reflects goodness God builds a good world for them. On the entry of sin,
consequences such as suffering, death comes into play.
George’s case can also be interpreted by considering suffering as an intruder. On
encountering the sufferings George might had thought that why he has been selected to go
through the pain. Suffering act as an intruder, and it is not considered as God's creativity
(Willmington, 2018).
Along with intruder, suffering is considered mysterious. George might be created in a state of
sinlessness, but the origin of his suffering remains a mystery.
Hope of resurrection
Christians believe that everything was created by God an Jesus was the physical presence of
the God that enable Christians to see God. On the other hand, Buddhists do not believe in the
existence of God, and it is believed that Buddhism is founded on peace and harmony through

4ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
meditation. According to the Christian narrative, it is believed that the suffering that Goerge
is undergoing is all because of God's will. Different churches give different reasons for his
illness. Goerge's suffering is interpreted in two ways. One group believes that Goerge lacks
spiritual belief, so God is punishing him by allowing him to suffer on the contrary another
group believes that he has been affected by such disease to bring him closer to God and let
him know about the suffering of Christ. This reason encourage individuals to follow the
teachings from the Holy book and come closer to their creator. On believing suffering as
God's will, they will remain steadfast in their beliefs and faiths and can be more strong than
before (Turner, 2015). However, if they believe suffering as a consequence of their sins, then
they will get an opportunity to repent their sins and then come back to their God.
These reasons prove that God plans out things in an orderly manner and allow to suffer so
that he can get back his people and experience them his love for them (Easter & SUNDAY,
2018). God punish them who does the wrong thing and encourage them to strive to live.
These reasons could help George to analyze his life and repent to God along with believing
that he has been forgiven and there will be no sufferings once he dies.
Value of his life as a person
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a medical condition in which body function such as
breathing, speech, mobility is lost. Goerge condition is such that he is a wheelchair user but
he does not wish for dependency for himself. The ALS condition requires assistance during
breathing and being a wheelchair user; it will be difficult for him to carry out any activity of
his own. His loss of dignity and power devasted him. However, the value of human life is
intrinsic and is created by God. It is believed that humans do not have absolute autonomy
over their own lives. God will decide their life. So following the basic principle of the value
of human life, it is commendable to consider the ethical issues concerning the beginning and

5ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
end of life. Christian worldview count on the value of human life and dignity (Peng & Chen,
2014). George will be considered as a viable member of the society despite his sickness, so it
is his responsibility to value his life till he is alive.
Considering Euthanasia
Goerge's consideration for euthanasia is obvious as he could analyze the intensity of
his sickness. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have been an important topic of
discussion. People kills an animal when it suffers therefore a question on ending a human life
due to his sufferings arises. According to Ten commandments of the Christian worldview,
committing suicide and killing someone is against their spiritual beliefs, whereas euthanasia
is considered as terminating one's own life which is referred to as self-murder. Taking one's
life is considered as rejecting God's gift of life. Abstaining from killing is the prime principle
of Christianity. Along with this, it is believed that death and life is a cycle that goes on until
Nirvana is attained. So, taking life leads to the starting of the cycle again and subjecting the
person to a life of pain and suffering.
Values and considerations
According to Christianity, sufferings are life's natural event, and euthanasia is
considered as a sin. President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine
and Biomedical and Behavioral Research" states that it is highly necessary to help those who
are suffering, but it is not at all commendable to consider suffering as pointless. The Christian
faith believes in giving maximum care, and it visualized George’s suffering as a normal event
of human's life (Brister et al., 2016). However, Christianity allows individuals to refuse

6ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
treatment to end their suffering, but it does not justify euthanasia. Christianity believes in
providing care, comfort and medication to ease the pain till they are left to die.
Recommendation
It is not possible to support someone regardless of illness to end his life because of
pain and sufferings. It is believed that God has all the right to take one's life as he has created
it. From the case study, it is seen that Goerge's condition is devasting as his motor neurons
are not functioning, and he needs ventilation for breathing. He has no reason to live as he is
unable to do provide anything meaningful. On the contrary, George's senses are active, and
he has been diagnosed with ALS in an early stage. So it is not acceptable to consider
euthanasia as a solution to the suffering. It is commendable to spend more time in that
situation by providing treatment that functions to delay disease advancement. Considering
ethics, George has the right to decide his own life (Smith, 2016) Moreover, it is unethical to
allow an individual to suffer because of religious beliefs.

7ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTHCARE
References
Brister, J., Litton, J., Lynn, M., & Tippens, T. K. (2016). More blessed to give than to
receive: A model of lifetime charitable giving. Journal of Biblical Integration in
Business, 19(1), 38-56.
Easter, E., & SUNDAY, P. (2018). The Resurrection.
Peels, R., Van Eyghen, H., & Van den Brink, G. (2018). Cognitive Science of Religion and
the Cognitive Consequences of Sin. In New Developments in the Cognitive Science of
Religion (pp. 199-214). Springer, Cham.
Peng, H., & Chen, M. (2014). The study of spirituality, work value and career decision-
making between Christian and non-Christian college students. The Journal of
Happiness & Well-Being, 2(1), 63-74.
Smith, G. P. (2016). Human Dignity as a Normative Standard or as a Value in Global Health
Care Decisionmaking. NCJ Int'l L., 42, 275.
Sumner, D. O. (2014). Fallenness and anhypostasis: a way forward in the debate over Christ's
humanity. Scottish Journal of Theology, 67(2), 195-212.
Turner, J. T. (2015). We look for the resurrection of the dead: an analytic theological
rethinking of the intermediate state and eschatological bodily resurrection in Christian
theology.
Willmington, H. (2018). The Origin of Suffering.