Responding to Faith in Healthcare Contexts

In the context illness, faith may offer a profound source of resolve, courage, and hope. And yet, there are health situations where faith may challenge us. Faith, after all, may compel decision makers, cast doubt on relationships, or supersede expert clinical judgement. While faith may be near the center of a meaningful life for many, as a phenomenon it is multifaceted. The aim of this paper is to explore faith as it may arise and be sustained in clinical practice drawing creatively on the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. Healthcare providers need to be able to respond to situations where faith is expressed by a patient or their family, even if they are of little faith. Responding to faith is all the more critical in intensive care environments where patients, families, and healthcare providers navigate the limits of surgical interventions and medical technologies.