The Church and Traditions of Russian Medicine

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleЦерковь и традиции русской медицины
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines > Medicine
6. Publication date 06-07-2018
7. lemma work Ахундова, Ирина [Author]. Церковь и традиции русской медицины
8. lemma manifestations Православие.Ru
9. Keywords stem cell technologies - abortion - Medical technologies - Russian Orthodox Church - Orthodox doctors - medicine
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>Ахундова, Ирина (2015). Церковь и традиции русской медицины. <em>Православие.Ru</em>. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.pravoslavie.ru/86716.html">http://www.pravoslavie.ru/86716.html</a> </p>
12. Lemma body

    1. This is an interview with protoiereus and doctor Sergei Filimonov, held at the fifth congress of Orthodox Christian doctors. Filimonov is professor of Medicine at two St. Petersburg Medical Universities, chief editor at the Tserkov i meditsina (Church and Medicine) journal, and head of the Orthodox doctors association of Luka (Voyno-Yasenetsky).

       Filimonov argues that abortion should not be part of free health care plan because they are immoral. He does not believe such a measure would harm women by forcing them to seek illegal doctors, because the procedure would remain affordable. Filimonov argues that secular doctors are dominated by an abortion mindset: they propose abortion too often. Pregnancy is not a disease nor is abortion a cure, according to Filimonov. Excluding abortions from the free health care plan would also permit Orthodox doctors not to conduct abortions nor be afraid of losing their job.

       The first congress of Orthodox doctors took place in Belgorod in 2007 and founded the Association of Orthodox Doctors of Russia. This organization aims to unite all Russian Orthodox medical organizations in order to integrate Orthodox values into the Russian health care system. In 2015 the Russian Orthodox Church signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health Care. This agreement suggested creating assistance centres and temporary shelter houses for women that consider abortions, and try to convince them otherwise. 

       Filimonov has a negative view of certain recent medical technologies;  he thinks an ultrasound for the foetus should only be used when there is a medical necessity. He also vehemently opposes stem cells transplantation technologies. He believes that the inability to get pregnant often has a spiritual and not only medical reason. Spouses must look at their own sins in the past and the sins of their ancestors and go to Church regularly. A pilgrimage to holy places may also help. If neither medical treatment nor spiritual practices help, a couple should consider adoption.

       According to Filimonov, Orthodox doctors have significant advantages over secular doctors. Orthodox doctors can baptize deadly ill newborns and this might help them survive. They also have the necessary sensibility toward childbirth and understand that this process should not be rushed. Nowadays the time for giving birth has dropped from the natural 16-18 hours to 6-8 hours because secular hospitals want to save time. However, Filimonov points out, such a rush can harm newborns.