Compassion in Healthcare

...this is a book steeped in theology and practice - and one that seriously recommends itself to both medical and theological, but also civic, thinkers and practitioners. * Revd Dr Charlie Bell, Studies in Christian Ethics *
Josh Hordern stands out among ethicists for the way he brings substantive theological content to bear on practical clinical and policy concerns in health care. In this book he diagnoses the anemic character of what passes for 'compassion' among many contemporary medical practitioners and educators. He rehabilitates the concept to offer a morally and theologically robust vision of practitioner-patient relationships that conduce to genuine healing. * Prof.Farr Curlin, Palliative Care physician and Josiah C. Trent Professor of Medical Humanities, Duke University *
Hordern offers a careful,detailed,conceptually rigorous, and practically engaged theological enquiry into the meaning and content of compassion in health care. He diagnoses serious problems with the understanding and practice of compassion and in response develops a persuasive, theologically grounded social theory of compassion, and works it through in relation to a range of areas of policy and practice. Resourced by the author's previous work on civic and political life, and by his collaborative work with health care professionals and organizations, the book combines a high level of scholarly rigour with a lucid and accessible style that makes it a pleasure to read. The result is an impressive and important theological contribution which deserves a wide audience not only among theologians but also health care professionals and bioethicists. * Professor Neil Messer, University of Baylor *