New York State Task Force on Life and the Law
An iPub Forum, “Did You Know?” Series, Part Two
by James Rudin
My eighteen Task Force years of service revealed that making realistic and sensible medical decisions is rapidly becoming the single most important aspect of a clergyperson’s life. Those decisions are the most difficult and painful questions rabbis, priests, pastors, or imams face at the bedside of a dying individual.
And what a surprise! It’s not abstract theological or metaphysical queries. Rather, most questions, usually asked in a hospital room, go like this. “My beloved family member is gravely ill. The doctors are recommending some extraordinary and complex medical treatments. I am confused, and I am being asked to make a decision. As my spiritual leader, please tell me, what should I do?”
My years on the Task Force provided a unique vantage point to witness the rapid…
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Author Elyse Draper 