n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 3
has been named in her memory.
One of her co-workers said: “This effort is a true labor of love and has
strengthened us as a team. Even though Patty is not here physically, she is still
bringing us together with her spirit.”
FROM THE NEW CHURCH BLOGOSPHERE
In the May/June 2011 issue of New Church Life, Dr. James de Maine, a retired
pulmonary and critical care doctor in the Seattle area, wrote of his experience
with end-of-life issues: Please, Let Me Die.
Jim, who also was a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University
of Washington, has continued to speak and blog on these issues, bringing
Swedenborg into the discussion whenever he can.
KevinMD, a widely read medical blog, picked up one of Jim’s blogs recently
– Should spiritual beliefs play a role in end-of-life care? – which you can read at
www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/02/spiritual-beliefs-play-role-in-life-care.html
Jim also did a three-part interview in the spring with Katy Sewall on NPR
FM in Washington State.
Jim writes that in the interview, “Katy asked me how a doctor deals with
religion, particularly at the end of life. Then she broached the subject of my
personal views. I was a little uncomfortable because I rarely would bring my
personal religious views into the conversation with patients.” But he answered
her question.
You can hear the interview at www.kuow.org/post/olympia-actress-katehess-and-doctors-view-death. Jim says it begins at 25 minutes and 40 seconds
into the podcast and lasts for 20 minutes. He advises to advance to the start
time by clicking in the bar, after clicking on “Listen.”
Jim will be one of three featured speakers at the Boynton Beach Retreat
(formerly Eldergarten), January 19-23, 2014, talking about his experiences as
a New Church doctor dealing with end-of-life issues.
SCIENCE AND RELIGION
George Gantz, a member of the New Church of Concord, near Boston,
Massachusetts, led a series of presentations and discussions in Corcord in the
spring of 2011 on Integrating Science and Spirituality. He also led a workshop on
the topic that summer at the General Church Assembly. George is continuing
this study and invites interested people to visit the new and improved ISAS
(Integrating Science and Spirituality) Forum at: www.theisasforum.org.
George quotes Albert Einstein: “Science without religion is lame;
religion without science is blind.” The ISAS Forum, he says, “speaks to these
inadequacies. Science is increasingly dealing with ineluctable limits that have
metaphysical and theological implications. Religion needs open inquiry and
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