Spirituality is a broader perspective involving different views and ideas. Philosophy associates spirituality with the human search for significance and meaningfulness in life. Pluralism reflects the collective beliefs of different religions and cultures. Postmodernism represents modern views that contradict religious and spiritual ideas. The worldwide view of people varies due to their connections with different cultures, religions, and faiths. Prime reality reflects the concerns related to the existence of God. All elisions confirm the existence of God, while the notion relies more on faith than proof. Prime reality depicts a connection with spiritualism as it motivates people to search for the purpose of life and existence. The concept of prime reality also addresses the idea of divine awareness that leads to the true fundamental self. Christian theism reveals the infinity and divinity of God, representing him as sovereign, omniscient and imminent. Prime reality is not a mere assumption but a basic belief of life that human identifies as the purpose of life. In Christianity, the prime reality is what God disclosed in the Holy Scripture, emphasizing the supreme authority of God in the creation of the universe. Through God created the universe but he transferred the operating power to the people. Postmodernism and scientism reject the religious illustration of prime reality and associate reality with thinking. (Cowen, 2014).
The second aspect addresses the nature of external reality that appears in subjective and objective forms. The question about the nature of the world around us highlights the idea of the existence of another world. People access the visible universe through ordinary consciousness and the invisible world through altered states of consciousness. In Christian theism, the external world is the reality created by God and possesses the governing power. However, Deism and Naturalism represent different views on the reality of the world. According to Deism, the external world reflects the uniformity of cause, while Naturalism emphasizes subjective and objective reality. Human beings, after death, leave the physical world but live in the spiritual world (Peterson, 2014).
Spirituality also reveals the information related to the creation of human beings in God’s image. God naturally created humans as intelligent, moral and self-transcendent, thus possessing good qualities. God gives them the freedom to make choices in their lives; however, Christian theism emphasizes taking responsible roles and living according to God’s will. It recognizes humans as divine beings who, after leaving the universe, return to the divine world. Humans in the world grow in the awareness that results in their transformations. Postmodernism and scientism reject the idea of divinity or God’s creativity. It demonstrates that human beings transform themselves through learning (Cowen, 2014). To understand spirituality, one needs to understand the concept of death and what happens after death. Spirituality explains that after death, a human being ceases to exist in the physical world, but the soul continues to survive. Death separates the body from the soul, and it lives in the external world, which is an eternal world. Christian theism illustrates that death does not end the journey of humans as they live in an eternal world. Souls exist as separate entities living in another form in the eternal world. Postmodernism and scientism represent a different view of human death and state that life ceases to exist after death. It rejects the idea of the soul’s immortality in the eternal world (Peterson, 2014).
It is possible to know anything at all because God gave us the ability to learn and reveal facts about the world. The natural ability of thinking allows people to use their minds and explore the world and information related to the creation ofthe world. However, the idea of knowing anything leads to the question: Are humans capable of knowing the truth? Different worldwide views prevail regarding the knowable and truth. Christians believe that what human knows is because God wanted them to know. The notion reflects the idea that humans are unable to reveal anything on their own. Under such belief, truth becomes absolute and reliable. Other beliefs illustrate that truth is what people want it to be. Postmodernism rejects the ideology of absolute truth, reflecting that humans can reveal the truth by using knowledge (Cowen, 2014).
People’s knowledge of ethics and religion allows them to identify what is right and wrong. God remains the central authority behind ethics because people associate right and wrong with reward and punishment. The idea also reflects that believers will be able to distinguish between right and won. Non-believers will be unable to differentiate between right and wrong. Cultures and beliefs of people influence their judgment regarding right and wrong; however, knowledge guides them to take certain actions. According to Christian theism, people will use their religious knowledge and choose the right to act according to God’s standards. Postmodernism does not rely on the ideas of punishment and reward. Philosophical knowledge related to ethics restricts people from choosing wrong (Shelly & Miller, 2009).
The meaning of human history reveals the information related to the existence of humans since the world’s creation. Christians rely on historical events related to human existence, life and death to find the meaning of life and world. Human beings rely on past experiences and history for searching answers to many questions. Historical examinations and evidence allow them to understand their roles and the purpose of humanity. Linear historical events guide humans, thus allowing the application of available reasoning to understand facts. Postmodernism believes that history is a study of different cultures and their perceptions related to different concepts of life. It depicts that people can believe what they want to believe.
Essay# 4 Interview
Spirituality and religion have affected the worldview of patients, which also control their decisions regarding healthcare. Spirituality and religion are effective tools for managing stress in patients. Albert is a 50-year-old male suffering from Parkinson’s disease that he inherited from his grandfather. At times, he faces difficulty in movement and trembles, which also causes stress and anxiety. He has been hospitalized for three months due to declining health and loss of balance, causing difficulty in movement and performing routine activities. The present interview reveals the role of religion and spirituality in Albert’s medical condition (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018). His answers to the questions depict how much he relied on spirituality to deal with his ailment and stress (Puchalski & Romer, 2000).
Question#1
How often do you indulge yourself in spiritual or religious practice?
Answer
I have faith in God as I am a Christian, but I do not engage myself in religious practice (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Question# 2
Do you have a connection with a spiritual person, and do you contact them in a depression of difficulty?
Answer
I met my uncle as he studied Christianity and possessed the qualities of a good motivator. My discussion with him allows me to see things positively, which adds strength and stamina to deal with complex situations (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Question#3
Do you visit the church in a state of despair or talk to a priest to feel better?
Answer
Yes, I visit the church when I face extreme helplessness. My communication with the priest helps me with consolation (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Question#4
Who do you trust more doctor or a pastor?
Answer
I trust both because I know medical treatment is important for coping with illness, while the pastor is also important for encouragement (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Question#5
Does your praying to God or involvement in religious practice make you feel comfortable?
Answer
I often pray to God when I feel stressed or helpless, and my talking makes me feel better (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Question#6
Do you think that caregivers must adopt spirituality in their service as it increases hope among patients?
Answer
I believe the caregivers must adopt spirituality in their service because patients are undergoing physical and psychological changes. They can motivate patients to pray and interact with God (Albert, personal communication, March 23, 2018).
Interview Analysis
Overall, the interview went well, as the patient was able to understand the questions easily and answer them in the most appropriate manner. The questions focused entirely on the patient and his views regarding spirituality and religion. The author of the paper believes that the interview was useful as it managed to maintain a continuous pace with the patient. The interview is useful for considering the role of spirituality in medical and healthcare practices. It also exhibits a need for covering other aspects of religious practices and their impact on patients’ lives. The answer to the questions helps in understanding the significance of spirituality in promoting health and wellness. The interview stresses enhancing the connectivity of patients with religious practices, such as the patient identifying prayer as an effective tool to gain hope and strength. It also emphasizes assessing the patient’s religious and spiritual needs (Puchalski C., 2006).
The interview depicts some barriers and challenges faced by the interviewer as it was difficult to discuss the topic of religion in nursing. The author lacked knowledge of the patient’s beliefs prior to the interview, which restricted him from asking broader questions. Time is another barrier, as the author could only gather limited information. He also exhibits limited knowledge due to an absence of adequate experience. Limitations are visible, as the author did not inquire about how often patients engage in religious activities. The ending question of the discussion depicts the need for more questions to uncover deeper feelings of Albert associated with spirituality. The limitations exhibit the need for relating patients’ beliefs with the spiritual practices practically adopted in nursing care. The challenges also pose the need to uncover the shortcomings of nursing assessment related to patient’s spiritual and religious beliefs. The interview highlights the significance of learning about the relationship of religion with a patient’s health and how it can be adopted for improving mental conditions.
Developing a structured interview through well-organized questions, the author was able to uncover the feelings and beliefs of the patient regarding religion. It reveals how well Albert understands spirituality and what his views are regarding its association with his health. The tool assists in providing appropriate interventions according to the needs of Albert. The tool highlights that the patient relies more on prayer, so providing the opportunity to meet the pastor or visit a church can be effective for his treatment. It further assists in finding the strong need for praying, as he mentioned that the caregivers must adopt religious practices in their service. The patient repeatedly discloses in the interview that his connection with God leads to his contentment and satisfaction. The tool uncovers the relationship between spiritual needs with the psychological well-being of the patient. The interview transmits the viewpoint of adopting religious practices as a powerful tool for addressing emotional issues such as stress, tension, sleeplessness, and despair.
During the interview, the patient amplified spiritual concerns as he stated that prayer or talking to a priest helps him in dealing with his illness. The interview reveals that the spiritual and religious practice can be used to motivate Albert towards betterment. In the discussion, the patient expresses his firm beliefs on religion. It confers the idea that encouraging Albert to connect with God can help in the process of treatment and recovery. Spiritual practice is a vital tool that encourages patients towards better physical and mental health, thus improving the quality of life.
Conclusion
The concept of best healthcare relies not only on medical treatment but also on incorporating spirituality. Patients with serious illnesses undergo complex situations that affect their psychological state, becoming visible in their stress and anxiety. The interview suggests that the adoption of spiritual practices will allow caregivers to encourage patients toward life and wellness. The nursing staff must consider the religious and spiritual beliefs of patients during treatments as it increases the chances of recovery.
Reference
Puchalski, C. (2006). Spiritual Assessment In Clinical Practice. Psychiatric Annals, 36 (3).
Puchalski, C., & Romer, A. (2000). Taking a spiritual history allows clinicians to understand patients more fully. J Palliat Med, 3 (1), 29-37.
Cowen, S. B. (2014). The Christian Worldview. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://arcapologetics.org/culture/the-christian-worldview/
Peterson, E. A. (2014). A Review of “Called to Care: A Christian Worldview for Nursing.” Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, Vol 14, No 2.
Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2009). Called to Care: A Christian Worldview for Nursing. InterVarsity Press
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