Printable Version

Religious beliefs and practices have created and shaped a variety of social service institutions in this city and across the nation.  Many health, education and social service institutions can trace their roots back to a religious institution or cause.  In this segment we’ll briefly examine the variety of social service agencies with a religious heritage and focus particularly on the role of medicine and spirituality in health care delivery.  From the largest healthcare provider in the city to the congregational-based parish nurse, how do religious attitudes and institutions shape and support modern health care?  We’ll look at three examples of faith-based health care practices and rediscover how religious history and practice strongly influence our social service practices.