A Biblically Based Model of

Cultural Competence in the

Delivery of Healthcare Services

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another;

for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

Romans 13:8 

The denial of absolute truth is one of the most outstanding and pervasive characteristics of 20^th century thinking (Cottrell, 2002).  It has been referred to as situationalism, relativism, postmodernism, pluralism, diversity, inclusivism and even multiculturalism.  Now in the 21st century, pluralism has become part of the democratic ideal.  This form of thinking has profoundly impacted upon the field of transcultural health care.  

Many healthcare professionals have equated culturally responsive care with cultural relativism.  They are encouraged to tolerate all worldviews of their clients and not to assume that there is only one right worldview when treating a client.  A biblical worldview allows one to see that absolute truth does exist and it exists is the contents of God’s mind.  Biblical truth provides the answer to life’s major questions, such as the basis and contents of moral behavior.  Therefore, it is a biblical understanding of truth that will guide healthcare professionals in effectively caring for culturally and ethnically diverse clients.  If healthcare professionals understood the truth that all human beings are made in the image of God, it would set them free from racism and allow them to care for culturally and ethnically diverse clients in a moral and ethical manner.

        The field of transcultural health care warrants the integration of a Christian worldview.  As a Christian, transcultural nurse and theologian, I have thought carefully and seriously about strategies to integrate a Christian perspective into my profession as a transcultural healthcare consultant and educator.   One such strategy is to develop a model of cultural competence that incorporates theological, intellectual and moral virtues into the process of becoming culturally competent.  It is my position that transcultural truth, which is biblically based, can be found in pursuing the intellectual and moral virtues.  It is with this understanding that I propose the thesis statement, “Intellectual and moral virtues provide healthcare professionals with a biblical foundation for becoming culturally competent in the delivery of healthcare services.”  Based on this thesis, I have developed the model, "A Biblically Based Model of  Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services" (Note: for a more detailed explanation of this model, please refer to the book, A Biblically Based Model of Cultural Competence {2005} link).

The Biblically Based Model of  Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services integrates the intellectual and moral virtues into the process of becoming a culturally competent healthcare professional.  This model is based on my previous model of cultural competence - The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services (link).  The eighteen intellectual and moral virtues of love, caring, humility, love of truth, teachableness, intellectual honesty, inquisitiveness, wisdom, discernment, judgment, prudence, attentiveness, studiousness, practical wisdom, understanding, temperance, patience and compassion are integrated into the five constructs of cultural awareness,  cultural knowledge,  cultural desire, cultural skill and  cultural encounters (Figure 1) . Based on this model, I developed the instrument, Inventory for Assessing a Biblical Worldview of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals.  Cronbach's alpha is .877, demonstrating rigorous reliability of this tool (link).  

Figure 1

 © Copyrighted by Campinha-Bacote, 2004; not to be reprinted without  permission

Assumptions of the Model

►The Bible is the foundation for culturally competent care.

► Intellectual and moral virtues provide healthcare professionals with a biblical foundation for becoming culturally competent in the delivery of healthcare services. 

►Cultural competence is a process, not an event; a journey, not a destination; dynamic, not static; and involves the paradox of knowing.

►The process of cultural competence consists of five inter-related constructs: cultural desire, cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill and cultural encounters.

► Cultural desire is the spiritual and biblical key pivotal construct of cultural competence that provides the energy source and foundation for one’s journey towards cultural competence.

► Cultural competence is an essential component in rendering effective and culturally responsive mental health and health care to all clients.

►All encounters are sacred encounters.

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*Duplication/Copying of IABWCC^©: Transcultural C.A.R.E. Associates has a policy preventing unauthorized use of tools.

  Last Updated: March, 2008