Religion and Healthcare

From UofT’s student newspaper, The Varsity, a lengthy piece on religion, accommodation and healthcare. My favourite part is the care taken to have an inclusive interfaith space:

The creation of the spiritual oasis of Mount Sinai, for example, was done by a committee.

“We actually pulled together staff who were interested in designing that space from a wide range of religious groups, including atheists, so we had everybody at the table,” says Kanee. “We worked together to figure out what we needed in that space, but also how we could build a space that wouldn’t be accommodating to the needs of one religion, and offend others.”

The room has prayer mats and kneelers, and a small table that can serve as an altar, and is attached to a wudu room. Each element was carefully considered before its inclusion; for example, no artifact could dominate the room.

“So it’s very plain,” Kanee explains, “but everything you need is in there, you just need to access it and pull it out.”

Shifting intersections: The evolving relationship between religion and medicine in Toronto’s public sphere