Sharing Spiritual Disciplines: Strengthening Patient-Practitioner Relationships through Spiritual Practices as Ways of Companionship
Andrew Kim, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL
The role of spirituality in healthcare has sparked ongoing debate in modern medicine, especially regarding how health practitioners might embody spiritual practices in ways that tangibly benefit patient care against what Nouwen called “the impersonal milieu of the hospital.” While the importance of compassionate presence is well-documented, there remains a gap in exploring how practitioners can intentionally and practically engage in spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, worship, liturgical reading, and sabbath, as a means of cultivating deeper relational connections with patients. This gap is particularly pertinent when serving marginalized communities, where the practitioner’s demonstration of authentic and culturally-appropriate companionship can profoundly impact patient trust, well-being, and empowerment.
This paper addresses this gap by investigating how health practitioners can integrate shared spiritual practices into patient care, focusing on disciplines that foster a shared sense of communal spirituality and relational presence. Drawing on Liberation Theology’s emphasis on solidarity with the oppressed, this study emphasizes spiritual companionship as a tangible expression of dignity and respect, which may resonate deeply with marginalized patients. We explore practices such as communal prayer, where the practitioner’s presence in prayer with the patient strengthens trust and shared vulnerability; communal worship, creating mutual reverence and dignity; and communal sabbath practices, which model rhythms of rest and restoration, countering the depersonalizing effects of fast-paced healthcare environments.
By examining theological, missiological, and medical literature, this paper proposes that incorporating these spiritual disciplines in healthcare relationships can foster a unique form of shared spiritual resilience. Our argument is that these shared practices offer a relational depth to healthcare interactions, encouraging health practitioners to embody companionship over control, thereby breaking down hierarchical barriers and fostering a sense of community with the marginalized. Such an approach repositions the healthcare relationship from a transactional exchange to one of mutual presence, reflecting the preferential option for the poor and affirming both the patient’s and practitioner’s dignity and position in regard to the higher power within the care process. Reframing healthcare interactions through shared spiritual practices promotes a model of care that honors both relational depth and spiritual presence, enhancing the healing journey and nurturing hope for both practitioner and patient alike.
This paper addresses this gap by investigating how health practitioners can integrate shared spiritual practices into patient care, focusing on disciplines that foster a shared sense of communal spirituality and relational presence. Drawing on Liberation Theology’s emphasis on solidarity with the oppressed, this study emphasizes spiritual companionship as a tangible expression of dignity and respect, which may resonate deeply with marginalized patients. We explore practices such as communal prayer, where the practitioner’s presence in prayer with the patient strengthens trust and shared vulnerability; communal worship, creating mutual reverence and dignity; and communal sabbath practices, which model rhythms of rest and restoration, countering the depersonalizing effects of fast-paced healthcare environments.
By examining theological, missiological, and medical literature, this paper proposes that incorporating these spiritual disciplines in healthcare relationships can foster a unique form of shared spiritual resilience. Our argument is that these shared practices offer a relational depth to healthcare interactions, encouraging health practitioners to embody companionship over control, thereby breaking down hierarchical barriers and fostering a sense of community with the marginalized. Such an approach repositions the healthcare relationship from a transactional exchange to one of mutual presence, reflecting the preferential option for the poor and affirming both the patient’s and practitioner’s dignity and position in regard to the higher power within the care process. Reframing healthcare interactions through shared spiritual practices promotes a model of care that honors both relational depth and spiritual presence, enhancing the healing journey and nurturing hope for both practitioner and patient alike.