The Experience and Practice of Faith as a Precondition for Overcoming Suffering in Disease

Abstract

The article analyses experiences and practices of faith as precondition for acceptance, cohabitation and overcoming of suffering which comes from a disease. On a theoretical level, reactions to disease according to stage and trajectorial models and their interactions with the way of responding to trials traced in the book of Job are discussed. Illness and suffering it brings, as well as its interaction with faith, examining it from empirical level through direct informants experience is analysed. In parallel the most characteristic emotions and actions of stage and trajectorial models reaction to shocks (illness, loss) are touched.