Praying with Patients

The question often arises: "Is it alright to pray with patients?" Dr. Jason Salagubang, from Florida Hospital Apopka, came up with an ingenious and inexpensive way to deal with that question in the hospital. On admission patients are asked if they want staff to pray for them. If they respond with "yes", they receive a purple bracelet with the words "Trust" "Belonging" and "Hope" imprinted. Any staff member then already knows the answer to the question "Is it alright?" A bookmark accompanies the gift and provides details:
Trust - as you come to know we really and truly care about you as a person.
Belonging - because while you are with us, you are family.
Hope - because we join with you, mind, body and spirit to affect a wonderful future.

Doctrinal Concerns

An accepting attitude toward people of other faiths incites some devout persons to fear doctrinal erosion. However, an accepting attitude does not imply doctrinal compromise from either the hospital or the physician champion. A close alliance is required between foundational doctrines for the physician champion and the hospital. They need to be compatible because this is the direction of spiritual growth that the physician champion will be fostering in the medical staff. Spiritual compatibility, however, is not synonymous with theological unity, nor is theological unity even a goal.

Religious Language

Religious language can impede spiritual conversations in the workplace. An approach to this language problem relates to the practice of using religious jargon as shorthand for a more detailed concept. One strategy is to put such expressions in the “longhand” form. For example,using the expression of “being under the blood of Jesus,” would probably border on being offensive to a Hindu. Instead restate the concept in longhand form: “In my Christian faith, I see how I have behaved contrary to God’s will and how that has separated me from God. I believe that Jesus sacrificed his life to reconcile me to God.” This style of conversation is understandable and does not ordinarily alienate those of another faith. Rather I think it improves their understanding.

What language examples have you experienced that impede or promote spiritual dialogue?

Endorsing a Candidate

Most important for a candidate is God’s endorsement. I cannot predict how that endorsement might appear. Some would interpret the candidate’s popularity or their ability to recruit physicians as hallmarks of endorsement. I wonder.

How do you discern God's endorsement?

Language of faith

Focus not on a particular religious tradition, rather on spirituality. So, the spirituality that gives meaning and purpose to the physician champion may require an investment of time and prayer to become responsive to the needs of this ministry. That spirituality must allow dialogue with people from a wide variety of faith traditions and with those not having any faith tradition. This capacity is partly embedded in an accepting attitude toward people of other faith traditions, but it also requires a break from some of the language of faith traditions. In fact, our language can be one of the greatest barriers to interfaith dialogue. For example, a Christian who speaks of “being under the blood of Jesus,” will likely close the door to further spiritual conversation with a Hindu. Van Kaam used a new vernacular that he called a “meta-language” to mediate between the jargons of different faith traditions.

What language works well for you? What language seems to impede spiritual conversations?