The Hostility of Illness and the Therapeutic Importance of Hospitality

August 11, 2023

(Church Life Journal) – Hospitality—which can mean the literal reception of guests but has also been described as authentic human connection—is an undervalued remedy for the alienation of illness. A friendly conversation, a consoling touch, or even just a smile at an opportune moment, can cut deeper than any scalpel and heal more effectively than any salve. It reengages a person in the human world and establishes bonds of connection that are otherwise strained or severed by illness. We do well to consider how hospitality can be integrated into contemporary healthcare systems to ameliorate health-related existential suffering. (Read More)