Interactions between culture and religion are fraught with difficulties. Some want to do away with religion altogether. Others welcome religious influences on policy and practice. One thing’s for sure, though: There are always points of both friction and synergy between the two groups. Susan Holman, a scholar in the Christian tradition, examines these interactions in six distinct articles. In so doing, she examines the roots and nature of human rights and the religious value of every human being.
This book’s six chapters can stand on their own as separate written pieces. Topics include the nature of pilgrimages, the life of an American physician in the 1800s, Article 25 of the Human Rights Declaration, use cases of community involvement in local healthcare, and problems of traditional gift-giving charity pipelines. The topic of religion and global health remains central, but no central narrative exists.
In each chapter, she simply uncovers areas of conflict and difficulty, without taking a side or laying out an argument. She seeks instead to foster further conversation around difficult issues in particular situations. As you’d expect from a PhD, each investigation is interesting and scholarly. Her educational background both as a dietician and in early Christianity shines through the pages.
Readers interested in an unbiased look at global health related to religion will find wisdom in this book. Readers interested in someone advancing a strong central argument will not find satisfaction. It’s a scholarly work, not one interested in flagging the flames of partisan argumentation. By common cause, religious workers and global health practitioners have to work with each other. This book allows them to see the others more clearly in dialogue so that they can do the important work of supporting life together.
Beholden: Religion, Global Health, and Human Rights
By Susan R. Holman
Copyright (c) 2015
Oxford University Press
ISBN13 9780199827763
Page Count: 301
Genre: Religion, Global Health
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