Covenantal Biomedical Ethics for Contemporary Medicine: An Alternative to Principles-Based Ethics

by James J. Rusthoven, Craig G. Bartholomew (Foreword by)

Overview

Principles-based biomedical ethics has been a dominant paradigm for the teaching and practice of biomedical ethics for over three decades. Attractive in its conceptual and linguistic simplicity, it has also been criticized for its lack of moral content and justification and its lack of attention to relationships. This book identifies the modernist and postmodernist worldviews and philosophical roots of principlism that ground the moral minimalism of its common morality premise. Building on previous work by prominent Christian bioethicists, an alternative covenantal ethical framework is presented in our contemporary context. Relationships constitute the core of medicine, and understanding the ethical meaning of those relationships is important in providing competent and empathic care. While the notion of covenant is articulated through the richness of meaning taught in the Christian Scriptures, covenantal commitment is also appreciated in Islamic, Jewish, and even pagan traditions as well. In a world of increasing medical knowledge and consequent complexity of care, such commitment can help to resist enticements toward the pursuit of self-interest. It can also improve relationships among caregivers, each of whose specific expertise must be woven into a matrix of care that constitutes optimal medical practice for each vulnerable and needy patient.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630873004
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	04/29/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	330
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

James J. Rusthoven, MD, MHSc, PhD is Professor of Oncology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is a medical oncologist with a part-time clinical practice, consulting on patients with breast cancer and lung cancer. He enjoys teaching medicine and bioethics and speaking to a variety of audiences on topics related to biomedical ethics. Dr. Rusthoven is committed to understanding medicine, its practice, and the world around us in light of the word of God.

Table of Contents

Foreword Craig G. Bartholomew ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1

Part 1 The Rise and Dominance of Principles-Based Biomedical Ethics

1 The Rise of Principlism in Response to an Ethical Crisis 13

2 Challenges to Principlism 48

3 Perspectives on Principles from Diverse Faith Traditions 68

4 Richness and Depth of Understanding within Faith Traditions 98

Part 2 A Modest Proposal for a Biblical Covenantal Biomedical Ethic

5 Conceptual Support for Covenantal Biomedical Ethics 127

6 Groundwork for a Contemporary Covenantal Ethic 183

7 Envisioning Medicine within a Covenantal Ethic 214

8 The Four Principles Revisited 241

Epilogue: The End of the Beginning 272

Appendix 279

Bibliography 281

Index 301

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Principlism has gained a remarkable and unhealthy power in medical ethics and has long been in need of a thorough Christian examination and critique. Drawing on years of experience in medical practice, extensive research and deep reflection, James Rusthoven here not only meets this need but takes to a new level a biblically rooted and theologically rich covenantal approach to bioethics. Theologians, doctors, and bioethicists will all learn much from this significant book."
—Andrew Goddard, Associate Director, Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics, Cambridge

"Rusthoven writes as both a long-term medical practitioner and someone with impressive credentials in the philosophical, theological, and historical dimensions of bioethics. He brings his considerable experience and broad knowledge of the bioethical literature to bear on a unique proposal for reorienting the field in the light of the key biblical category of covenant. I find his work altogether admirable."
—Albert Wolters, Emeritus Professor of Religion and Theology, Redeemer University College

"Jim Rusthoven provides a lucid and penetrating critique of modern biomedical ethics, highlighting the poverty and incoherence of 'lowest common denominator' principles-based approaches. He develops an alternative biblical covenantal framework for medicine that reflects the profoundly relational nature of our human calling in the light of the creative and redemptive purposes of the triune God. I strongly recommend this stimulating and original book."
—John Wyatt, Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics, and Perinatology, University College London

Editorial Reviews

"Principlism has gained a remarkable and unhealthy power in medical ethics and has long been in need of a thorough Christian examination and critique. Drawing on years of experience in medical practice, extensive research and deep reflection, James Rusthoven here not only meets this need but takes to a new level a biblically rooted and theologically rich covenantal approach to bioethics. Theologians, doctors, and bioethicists will all learn much from this significant book."
—Andrew Goddard, Associate Director, Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics, Cambridge

"Rusthoven writes as both a long-term medical practitioner and someone with impressive credentials in the philosophical, theological, and historical dimensions of bioethics. He brings his considerable experience and broad knowledge of the bioethical literature to bear on a unique proposal for reorienting the field in the light of the key biblical category of covenant. I find his work altogether admirable."
—Albert Wolters, Emeritus Professor of Religion and Theology, Redeemer University College

"Jim Rusthoven provides a lucid and penetrating critique of modern biomedical ethics, highlighting the poverty and incoherence of 'lowest common denominator' principles-based approaches. He develops an alternative biblical covenantal framework for medicine that reflects the profoundly relational nature of our human calling in the light of the creative and redemptive purposes of the triune God. I strongly recommend this stimulating and original book."
—John Wyatt, Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics, and Perinatology, University College London

From the Publisher