title: Religious Perspectives on Human Suffering: Implications for Medicine and Bioethics.
abstract: The prevention and relief of suffering has long been a core medical concern. But while this is a laudable goal, some question whether medicine can, or should, aim for a world without pain, sadness, anxiety, despair or uncertainty. To explore these issues, we invited experts from six of the world's major faith traditions to address the following question. Is there value in suffering? And is something lost in the prevention and/or relief of suffering? While each of the perspectives provided maintains that suffering should be alleviated and that medicine's proper role is to prevent and relieve suffering by ethical means, it is also apparent that questions regarding the meaning and value of suffering are beyond the realm of medicine. These perspectives suggest that medicine and bioethics have much to gain from respectful consideration of religious discourse surrounding suffering.
authors: Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Bloomfield Campus, Locked Bag 6005, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia. scott.fitzpatrick@newcastle.edu.au.|Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELiM), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. scott.fitzpatrick@newcastle.edu.au.
authors: Scott J
authors: SJ
authors: Fitzpatrick
authors: Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELiM), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Ian H
authors: IH
authors: Kerridge
authors: Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELiM), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Christopher F C
authors: CFC
authors: Jordens
authors: Centre for Bioethics, Science and Society, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Laurie
authors: L
authors: Zoloth
authors: Department of Philosophy, University of South Carolina, Colombia, SC, USA.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Tollefsen
authors: Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors: Karma Lekshe
authors: KL
authors: Tsomo
authors: Moore Theological College, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Jensen
authors: Ali Vural Ak Centre for Global Islamic Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors: Abdulaziz
authors: A
authors: Sachedina
authors: Religious Studies, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors: Deepak
authors: D
authors: Sarma
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D001675:Bioethics; D006801:Humans; D009014:Morals; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012945:Social Values; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Bioethics; Medicine; Religion; Suffering