From decadent medieval popes to modern televangelists with private jets, religion and money can make for an unsavoury mix. Built on Jewish thought, the teaching of Jesus transformed the way we think vulnerable people should be treated.
This lesson traces the origins of healthcare in the West, and focuses on the story of Fabiola, the wealthy noblewoman who founded Rome’s first hospital.
Introduce
Class Discussion
Discuss how responsible we are as individuals and as a community for the health and wellbeing of others, then in pairs students share their experience of witnessing healthcare – when either they or a family member were sick.
Discuss which disease students would eradicate from the world if they could.
Watch & Respond
- Clip: The New York Times Ebola Clip (3:27) Mature Content Warning
Watch the New York Times clip about the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leonne. Students discuss the impact of the disease and write a social media post as if they had visited this village at this time, describing their experience.
Explore & Discuss
Students find 3 images which capture their understanding of healthcare and share them with a small group, before the class discusses how important it is for a society to provide quality affordable healthcare.
Engage
Watch & Respond
Watch the documentary excerpt ‘The Origins of Western Healthcare’ (6:33) and discuss the Christian response to plagues.
Students compose a short letter explaining to a fellow Roman citizen why they have decided to stay against the advice to leave a plague infested city.
Display the quote from Dr. Lynn Cohick and discuss how this belief shaped the lives of the early Christians who cared for plague victims? (Christians Who Care Slides)
Students sketch 3 outlines of some of the things Fabiola did to help the sick.
Students read the Jerome quote and reflect on who would’ve been most impressed by Fabiola’s ‘ministry’. (Christians Who Care Slides)
Mini-debate
Display the Nietzsche quote and conduct a Mini-debate on the idea that “nature intended the strong to thrive and the weak to disappear”.
Bible Study
After reading Luke 4:38-40, in small groups students re-enact this passage as a news report. They also discuss what this passage shows us about Jesus’ attitude and actions towards the sick, and consider any other accounts that support the idea that Jesus was not reluctant to be near sick people?
Students read Mark 12:28-31 and complete the following:
- Who is Jesus talking about when he says “your neighbour”?
- Describe a scenario that demonstrates what loving another person as yourself would look like.
- Explain how the early Christians interpreted this teaching.
Respond
Creative Design
Students create a brief funding proposal for a new $50 million hospital. It should describe the location, the key services and the driving ethos for the new hospital – if it was going to be based on Jesus’ love ethic.
Composition & Reflection
Students compose a response that they think Jesus would give to Nietzsche.
Students list some of the ways our society is doing a good job of caring for the sick, and the ways it could improve.
Extension 1
Students research a hospital anywhere in the world that was set up by Christians, designing a poster highlighting what the hospital does and how Christian values shape their practices. (For an example watch ‘Hope for Africa’)
Extension 2
- Podcast: In Sickness and in Health (17:59)
Students listen to the CPX podcast episode “In sickness and in health” and note down 3 things stood out to them.