While religion and spirituality have similar origins, their understanding of society differs. As Jones notes, the concept of spirituality is often misunderstood due to its deep connection to religiousness. (as cited in Victor & Treschuk, 2019). According to Barber (2019), spirituality can be viewed as a continuous journey aimed primarily at personal growth. Therefore, spirituality is not a clearly defined concept with an established set of rules to follow but rather a personal interpretation of one’s identity, needs, values, and worldview (Barber, 2019). It is essential for a medical professional to understand the idea of spirituality and to be able to apply it in different contexts.
Religions are based on a more or less strict set of ideas. Fowler and Yeşilçınar et al. suggest that religion is often associated with a particular set of beliefs, values, and ethics shared by a group of people (as cited in Victor & Treschuk, 2019). It is important to note that some religious practices, such as searching for moral guidance or a deeper understanding of self and the world, are often associated with spirituality (Barber, 2019). However, religion’s inherently collective nature and its formalization distinguish it from spirituality.
The understanding of these terms has changed among regular people and scholars. While previously, religion defined the person’s experience in almost all life aspects, establishing the guidelines for everyday living, it has gradually lost its importance (Van Niekerk, 2018). According to the Pew Research Center, the American public has been showing signs of decreasing religiousness since 2007, which is often associated with the growing secularization of the globalized society and social crises (as cited in Wertheimer, 2018). This trend is not surprising considering the continuous cultural changes questioning the value of traditional beliefs in a rapidly evolving world.
However, the decline in religion has led to a rising popularity of spirituality. Thanks to its less restrictive nature, spirituality attracts people in search of deeply intimate experiences that traditional religion cannot provide, including the meaning of life, a system of values, and inner harmony (Victor & Treschuk, 2019). The works of Florence Nightingale have provided a revolutionary perspective on spirituality in healthcare, leading to its adoption for professional practice in holistic nursing (Frisch & Rabinowitsch, 2019). Therefore, the importance of spirituality in modern society cannot be overstated.
However, ethical issues associated with spirituality or religion may arise. As Cockerham (2021) notes, one of the aspects of life at the intersection of religion and medicine is the death of a body. While legal regulations and medical practices dictate a certain way of dealing with the deceased, some religious traditions do not tolerate these guidelines, leading to potential public safety hazards and moral conflicts (Lyons et al., 2021). Since spirituality is regarded as one of the primary aspects of holistic nursing, ethical issues may arise due to the nurses’ and patients’ conflicting understanding of the patient’s best interests. In situations like these, the patient’s well-being and public safety should be the primary goal.
References
Barber, C. (2019). Working within a spiritual framework. British Journal of Nursing, 28(4), 229–229. Web.
Cockerham, W. C. (Ed.). (2021). The Wiley Blackwell companion to medical sociology. John Wiley & Sons.
Frisch, N. C., & Rabinowitsch, D. (2019). What’s in a definition? Holistic nursing, integrative health care, and integrative nursing: Report of an integrated literature review. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 37(3), 260–272. Web.
Lyons, P., Winters, M., Zeebari, Z., Schmidt-Hellerau, K., Sengeh, P., Jalloh, M. B., Jalloh, M. F., & Nordenstedt, H. (2021). Engaging religious leaders to promote safe burial practices during the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak, Sierra Leone. Bull World Health Organ, 99(4), 271–279. Web.
Van Niekerk, B. (2018). Religion and spirituality: What are the fundamental differences? HTS: Theological Studies, 74(3). Web.
Victor, C. G. P., & Treschuk, J. V. (2019). Critical literature review on the definition clarity of the concept of faith, religion, and spirituality. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 38(1), 107–113. Web.
Wertheimer, J. (2018). The new American Judaism: How Jews practice their religion today. Pronceton University Press.