The challenges facing major religious traditions in the modern world
Minimum of 1 scholarly source for each topic.
Address all of the following:
1)What are some of the challenges facing major religious traditions in the modern world? As nurses, what are some of the particular issues that you might encounter with patients regarding the intersection of faith and healthcare (see the Science and Ethical Issues section of Chapter 12; you can address two or more of the issues noted in this section)? How might the material covered in this course affect how you respond to these concerns?
a)Fertility assistance Through fertility drugs and in vitro fertilization, medical science has made conception possible for some women who in earlier times could not have conceived. But fertility drugs often produce multiple births and the potential for some of the babies to die. Is the survival of one or a few babies worth the potential loss of the others?
b)Ethical termination of pregnancy At what point in its development is an embryo or a fetus to be considered a human being and thus accorded basic human rights? Is there a moral difference between early abortion and late-term abortion?
c) Ethical termination of adult life Do individuals have the right to end their own lives? Do they have the right to end the lives of others, such as spouses, relatives, or friends?
2) Modern Influences on the Future of Religion and examine how modern religious traditions are dealing with this contemporary challenge. If you identify with a particular religious tradition, how has your religious tradition responded to the topic you have chosen? Make sure that you support your answer.
I am Roman- Catholic
Reassessment of Human Sexuality
Citation from my textbook “The ongoing clash between traditional views of sexuality—views often codified in religions—and modern outlooks on sexuality probably will not be resolved anytime soon. What we are likely to see, however, is greater tolerance for beliefs and practices that are somewhat contradictory—as is evident in teachings about the indissolubility of marriage as compared to the actual toleration of divorce or annulment.
Another area of controversy exists regarding same-gender sexual expression and relationships. Some religions hold that all homosexuality runs counter to divine or natural laws. Although some religions and denominations accept homosexuality as an orientation that occurs naturally in some people, they say that acting out that orientation in sexual behavior is wrong; still others value compassion and privacy more than any traditional judgment of sexual acts and thus accept gay men and lesbians as full members. Of course, for heterosexual men and women, with full membership come the rights to a religious marriage and ordination. Few religions, however, have yet to extend the same benefits to gays and lesbians. Nonetheless, as the contradictions in a partial acceptance of gay members become more obvious and even painful, religions are beginning to reconsider past practice. Same-gender commitment ceremonies are celebrated in increasing numbers of religious congregations—examples are to be found among Jewish congregations, Unitarians, Quakers, the Metropolitan Community Church, Unity Church, Episcopalians, and Lutherans. In 2003 the Episcopal Church in the United States consecrated as bishop a man who is in a gay relationship, but this has caused conflict with other branches of the Anglican Church, particularly in Africa.
Although debate over what constitutes legitimate sexual expression will continue, there is no denying the impact that the sexual revolution has had on religion. Traditions that emphasize conservative principles will be most challenged by the changing views on sexuality.”(Malloy,2013)
Malloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the World\'s Religions, 6th Edition. [VitalSource].
