Religious Literacy in Hospice Care: Challenges and Controversies

This is the first book to explore how religion, belief and spirituality are negotiated in hospice care. Specifically, it considers the significant place that spiritual care has in hospice care and claims that the changing role of religion and belief in society highlights the need to re-examine how such identities are integrated in professional practice.

Using religious literacy as a framework, the author explores how healthcare professionals in hospice care respond to religion, belief and spiritual identities of service users. Part 1 provides a comprehensive account of the content and history of the place of religion, belief and spirituality in hospice care. Part 2 examines how these topics are negotiated in hospice care by looking at three key areas: environment, professional practice and organisation. Part 3 proposes a religious literacy model applicable to hospice care and explores implications for practice and policy. Lastly, the author identifies future trends in research, policy and practice.

Drawing on a range of theories and concepts and proposing a working model that can impact the training of future and current professionals, Religious Literary in Hospice Care should be considered essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners.

Panagiotis Pentaris is a Senior Lecturer for the Department of Psychology, Social Work and Counselling at the University of Greenwich. He is also a Postdoc Research Fellow for the Faiths & Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. Panagiotis is a thanatologist, as well as a qualified social worker with specialty in hospice social work and clinical social work in end of life care. His research stretches from death policies to professional practice, and he has researched extensively about religion, belief and spirituality in end of life care.