The Catholic Church’s Role in Shaping Health and Medicine: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Disciplines
Bioethics and Medical Ethics | Catholic Studies | Ethics in Religion
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The overall purpose of this research is to explore the influence of the Catholic Church on health and medicine, focusing on historical contributions, ethical frameworks, and contemporary healthcare practices. The Catholic Church has played a pivotal role in shaping the development of health and medicine, both historically and in contemporary contexts. Through this mixed methods approach combining literature reviews, case studies and interviews with healthcare professionals in Catholic settings, this research provides a comprehensive view of the Church’s dual role as a moral authority and a practical provider of medical services. Through a combination of historical analyses, case studies, and ethical reviews, results explain the Church’s foundational role in establishing hospitals during the medieval period, its development of medical education through monastic and missionary work, and its responses to public health crises throughout history. More specifically, this research examines key doctrinal teachings, such as those articulated in the Theology of the Body, Human Vitae, and Evangelium Vitae to understand how Catholic ethics inform decisions on controversial medical issues, including abortion, euthanasia, and reproductive health. Furthermore, findings describe the impact of Catholic healthcare institutions, which collectively represent one of the largest non-profit health systems globally, on the accessibility and quality of care. This study also evaluates the integration of religious values within modern medicine, particularly in the policies and practices of Catholic-affiliated hospitals and clinics. The findings highlight the enduring influence of Catholic principles on global health ethics, the significant contributions of Catholic-run institutions to underserved communities, and the challenges of balancing religious doctrine with secular medical advancements. This study contributes to the intersection between faith and medicine, offering insights into how religious institutions shape healthcare delivery and ethical discourse in diverse cultural and socio-political contexts.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS - Social Work and Human Services
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Evelina Sterling
Additional Faculty
Evelina Sterling, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, esterlin@kennesaw.edu
The Catholic Church’s Role in Shaping Health and Medicine: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
The overall purpose of this research is to explore the influence of the Catholic Church on health and medicine, focusing on historical contributions, ethical frameworks, and contemporary healthcare practices. The Catholic Church has played a pivotal role in shaping the development of health and medicine, both historically and in contemporary contexts. Through this mixed methods approach combining literature reviews, case studies and interviews with healthcare professionals in Catholic settings, this research provides a comprehensive view of the Church’s dual role as a moral authority and a practical provider of medical services. Through a combination of historical analyses, case studies, and ethical reviews, results explain the Church’s foundational role in establishing hospitals during the medieval period, its development of medical education through monastic and missionary work, and its responses to public health crises throughout history. More specifically, this research examines key doctrinal teachings, such as those articulated in the Theology of the Body, Human Vitae, and Evangelium Vitae to understand how Catholic ethics inform decisions on controversial medical issues, including abortion, euthanasia, and reproductive health. Furthermore, findings describe the impact of Catholic healthcare institutions, which collectively represent one of the largest non-profit health systems globally, on the accessibility and quality of care. This study also evaluates the integration of religious values within modern medicine, particularly in the policies and practices of Catholic-affiliated hospitals and clinics. The findings highlight the enduring influence of Catholic principles on global health ethics, the significant contributions of Catholic-run institutions to underserved communities, and the challenges of balancing religious doctrine with secular medical advancements. This study contributes to the intersection between faith and medicine, offering insights into how religious institutions shape healthcare delivery and ethical discourse in diverse cultural and socio-political contexts.