Preserving the Penultimate brings two of the 20th century's most renowned Christian thinkers, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Albert Schweitzer, into conversation around the emerging possibilities of healthcare and examining the Church's relationship to healthcare, with reference to the NHS.

Preface Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Statement of Copyright and Permissions Part One 1. Setting the Scene Introduction The United Kingdom's NHS as a Health Institution Exemplar The Relevance of the Sermon on the Mount The Relationship of the Church to the Rest of the World God's 'Great Commission' The Church and Healthcare - An Introductory Comment The Church, Education and Social Action: The United Kingdom Exemplar Conclusion 2. Suffering, Health and Healing, Dying and Death 29 Introduction Terminology and Definitions Suffering A Note on the Interrelationship of these Concepts with Healthcare 3. The Christian Gospel, Poverty and Health Introduction Definition of Poverty Scripture and Poverty Poverty and Health The Gospel and Health The Illumination Provided by Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer 4. The Church's Response to Scripture on Poverty and Health Introduction Church Response to Issues of Poverty Church Response to Issues of Health Envisaging the Future Role of the Church in Healthcare Conclusion Part Two 5. Introduction to Part Two 6. The Relevance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer 7. The Relevance of Albert Schweitzer 8. The Nature and Significance of Bonhoeffer's Penultimate and Ultimate Introduction Bonhoeffer's Concept of the 'Penultimate' and 'Ultimate' Albert Schweitzer and the Penultimate The Relationship between Christians and the Penultimate The Penultimate as a Sacrament Conclusion 9. An Overview of the Life, Philosophy and Theology of Albert Schweitzer Introduction An Essential Biography of Albert Schweitzer The Ethical Nature of Civilisation Schweitzer's Perspective on Eschatology The 'Will to Live' and 'Reverence for Life' The Post-Colonial Perspective of Schweitzer Conclusion 10. The Christology of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer, the Penultimate and Healthcare Introduction Luther's Theologia Crucis The Christology in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Written Work The Christology of Albert Schweitzer Are the Christologies of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer the Same? Relevance to the Twenty-First Century Conclusion 11. The Ethics of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer, the Penultimate and Healthcare Introduction Christian Ethics in General An Overview of Healthcare Ethics General Comments on the Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer General Comments on the Ethics of Albert Schweitzer The Ethics of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer Relating to the Four Principles of Healthcare Ethics Respect for Autonomy Beneficence Non-maleficence Justice Conclusion 12. Suffering, Health and Healing, Dying and Death Revisited Introduction Bonhoeffer's Perspective on the Five Concepts Suffering Health and Healing Dying and Death Schweitzer's Perspective on the Five Concepts Suffering Health and Healing Dying and Death The Perspectives of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer Compared and Contrasted Conclusion 13. The Christian Gospel, Poverty and Health Revisited Introduction Bonhoeffer's Perspective Schweitzer's Perspective 14. The Message of Bonhoeffer and Schweitzer for Twenty-First-Century Healthcare Appendix: Comparative Timeline for Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Albert Schweitzer Bibliography Index