Improving health care in the twenty-first century will require new and creative approaches, with special attention given to health literacy and patient engagement since these two variables play a significant role in chronic health issues and their management. In order to better improve these key variables, strong partnerships between patients, their communities, and medical institutions must be developed. One way of facilitating these relationships is through medical-religious partnerships. Religious leaders are in regular contact with people who need education about and support with health issues. However, identifying the most effective way to approach specific congregations can pose a challenge to healthcare providers and institutions. In this paper, we provide a brief historical review of certain religious traditions and how their history plays a role in current medical-religious partnerships.
Keywords: Community health; Health promotion; History of religion; Medical–religious partnerships.