Does having religious beliefs influence the way we take care of our health? Can physicians bring their spiritual commitments into their medical practice? How does religion impact us when we are sick?
Dr. Aasim Padela, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Bioethics and the Medical Humanities at Medical College of Wisconsin, investigates these questions and the complex interplay between religion, health, and ethics, using Muslim Americans and Islamic principles as a model.
Dr. Padela recently sat down with us to discuss the key findings from his projects Scientific Discoveries & Theological Realities- Exploring The Intersection Of Islam And The Human Sciences and Fostering Connections Between Science And Theology For Medical Track Muslim Students, two pioneering research programs funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
“What we learned, really, or what I learned, was that humble dialogue for discovery requires bridging scholars and concepts,” Dr. Padela says, describing his efforts to unite academicians, seminarians, and translators at the intersection of Islam and human sciences.
Dr. Padela’s latest work aims to bring together scholars in Islamic studies and medicine, with a focus on meaningful interdisciplinary discussions, to bridge the gap between scientific and religious aspects in medical education.
“But really, for it to move further, we need to build an ecosystem, centers, and scholarships where people who have been initiated in the dialogue can continue to do that in new areas and teach others how to do that work.”
Learn more about the John Templeton Foundation’s funding of projects related to Religion, Science, and Society.
