We will all die one day, and for the non-religious who do not believe in the afterlife, we must live our only life well. In recent years, more people are starting to accept the option of palliative care. At the same time, palliative care is now being applied at even earlier stages of end-of-life care.
Below are some quick links regarding palliative care for the non-religious.
Local Singapore Resources
Articles
HSS Summary of Palliative Care for Non-Religious
- The Humanist Society (Singapore) has conducted some research into non-religious perspectives on palliative care for non-religious individuals.
Non-religious pastoral care in hospitals
- Humanist Care‘s portal for non-religious pastoral care
An introduction to spiritual care for non-religious patients
- e-Hospice: John Valentine is a volunteer in the spiritual care team at Royal Trinity Hospice in London, where he provides non-religious spiritual care to patients. Here he explains the theory behind it.
How do atheists deal with death
- A sharing by Ali A. Rizvi, Pakistani-Canadian author of The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason.
Pastoral care by humanist groups worldwide
- Humanist International: Historically, pastoral support provided in public institutions in most countries has been religious. But (at least in Europe) things are slowly changing, thanks to the work of humanist organisations.
Secular Spiritual Care Network – Humanists Victoria
- Humanists Victoria: The Secular Spiritual Care Network (SSCN) has as its aim to create opportunities for secular spiritual carers to work alongside religious chaplains and pastoral carers in order to better serve the needs of the whole gamut of non-believers
- Chaplaincy Innovation: Humanists are increasingly entering chaplaincy positions, bringing their understanding of a moral humanistic good, ranging from atheist and agnostic, to spiritually and culturally religious, to hospitals, universities, and other settings.
Books
Non-Religious Pastoral Care: A Practical Guide, by David Savage
- This ground-breaking book is a guide to non-religious pastoral care practice in healthcare, prisons, education, and the armed forces in the UK. It brings a new perspective to our understanding of care services traditionally offered by chaplaincy departments.
Comforting Thoughts About Death That Have Nothing to Do with God
- A unique take on death and bereavement without a belief in God or an afterlife. Accepting death is never easy, but we don’t need religion to find peace, comfort, and solace in the face of death. In this inspiring and life-affirming collection of short essays, prominent atheist author Greta Christina offers secular ways to handle your own mortality and the death of those you love.
Research Papers
Non-religious perspectives on End of Life Care
Humanist Chaplaincy according to Northwest European Chaplains
