Traditions & Worldviews

Islam

Muslim perspectives on serious illness and dying emphasize tawakkul (trust and reliance on Allah), patience in suffering, preparation for the Hereafter, and a strong focus on maintaining the ability to remember Allah and recite the Shahada near death.

Christianity – Roman Catholic

Catholic teaching frames serious illness and dying within the Paschal mystery, emphasizing redemptive suffering, sacraments for the sick and dying, and the duty to relieve pain while avoiding euthanasia.

Judaism

Jewish end-of-life traditions emphasize honoring the dying and deceased (kavod ha-met), confessing sins (Vidui), guarding the body (Shmirah), and rapid, simple burial under the care of the Chevra Kadisha.

Hinduism

Hindu understandings of a good death (antyesti) emphasize karma, rebirth, and rituals that support the soul's journey, including cremation and immersion of ashes in sacred waters such as the Ganga.

Buddhism

Buddhist approaches to dying, especially in Tibetan traditions, stress maintaining awareness, cultivating a calm mind, and practices such as Phowa (transference of consciousness) to support a favorable rebirth.

Christianity – Protestant

Protestant traditions encompass a wide range of beliefs about dying and afterlife, from evangelical emphasis on salvation assurance to mainline focus on pastoral care and community. Practices vary widely across denominations.

Sikhism

Sikh teachings view death as a natural part of the divine cycle, emphasizing acceptance of God's will (hukam), meditation on the divine Name (Naam), and community support through prayer and recitation of sacred texts.

Indigenous & Native Traditions

Indigenous and Native spiritual traditions are extraordinarily diverse, but many share themes of interconnectedness with the land, ancestral guidance, community ceremony, and holistic views of health that integrate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.

Secular / Non-Religious

Many patients and families approach serious illness and dying without religious affiliation, drawing meaning from relationships, personal values, legacy, nature, philosophy, or humanistic ethics. Their existential and spiritual needs deserve the same attention.

Multi-faith and Interfaith Perspectives

Hospice and palliative care teams serve people of many faiths and none. That calls for flexible spiritual care that follows each person's beliefs, values, and concerns rather than assuming a single tradition.

Jehovah's Witnesses

This guide summarizes one secondary source. Jehovah's Witness primary texts were not re-read for this guide.

Secondary source only (Figueiredo et al., World J Transplant 2019). The jw.org medical-treatment FAQ cited on the Practices page and listed under Verified Resources was not re-read for this guide. Not reviewed by a Jehovah's Witness. Beliefs vary; ask the patient directly.

Orthodox Christianity

This guide summarizes secondary sources about Greek and Romanian Orthodox practice. OCA and GOARCH texts were not read.

Secondary sources only. Not reviewed by an Orthodox chaplain or ethicist. Confirm with the patient's priest.

Latter-day Saints

This guide summarizes secondary sources about Latter-day Saint teaching. Church texts were not re-read for this guide.

Secondary sources only. Not reviewed by a Latter-day Saint chaplain or ethicist. Ask the patient.

Baháʼí Faith

This guide summarizes secondary sources about Baháʼí practice. Baháʼí texts were not read.

Secondary sources only. Not reviewed by a Baháʼí community member. Ask the patient and family.