Theology and Medicine to Host National Event
May 1, 2006
Theology and Medicine at Duke Divinity School will host more than 300 clergy, nurses, physicians and lay leaders in health ministries from across the nation in the 17th Annual Health Ministries Association (HMA) Conference, June 22-25.
Participants will hear an array of prominent speakers and participate in workshops such as “The Art of Caregiving,” “Developing a Health Ministry Team,” and “Caring for the Whole Person: A Paradigm Fulfilled.” In general, discussion will include best practices within healthcare and ministry that nurture the intersection of faith and health.
“Theology and Medicine at Duke provides national leadership in understanding the intersection between spirituality and health,” said Dr. Keith Meador, director of the program and a jointly appointed professor in the schools of medicine and divinity at Duke. “Our faculty and staff's commitment to education, scholarship and outreach at this intersection is key in aligning the strengths of faith communities and health care to nurture practices of caring.”
Theology and Medicine staff members provide consultations to communities across the Carolinas . They offer lay and professional education and training in faith communities and health systems, believing that the bridging of the two is crucial for sustaining the vision of health and human flourishing embodied within this work.
This conference offers an opportunity for Duke's Theology and Medicine to collaborate with the North and South Carolina Health Ministries Association to bring voices of health ministries from across the country together to share their work. A pre-conference, day-long meeting, “Formation, Flourishing, and Friendship with God,” will feature Duke Divinity School faculty along with a number of guest faculty from across the country as they examine theological considerations in health ministries.
“We are delighted to have colleagues in health ministries from around the country come to join us in the Carolinas as we nurture an ongoing vision and commitment to partnerships between faith communities and providers of healthcare,” Meador added. “We are especially pleased to have Duke Divinity School hosting a pre-conference in cooperation with the Health Ministries Association focused on providing theological foundations and interpretations for the work of health ministries.”
The event is of particular interest to communities that seek to build collaborative relationships and desire to nurture the trust of committed members building bridges between faith communities and health care.
For registration options or for more information about the conference, visit the Duke Theology and Medicine Web site. More information also is available by calling Anne Packett, (919) 383-0615 ext. 102.