Physicians need to carefully explain the difficult medical realities of carrying a fetus with severe congenital abnormalities to term but then follow the wishes of a religious family who ask for reasonable medical care.

Physicians need to understand their roles and limitations of their own faith in providing end-of-life care.

Physicians need to understand that a patient's faith shapes his or her understanding of illness and know how to respond when the patient attempts to evangelize during the clinical encounter.

Three journal articles highlight difficulties in the interpretation of data relevant to religion, spirituality, and health.

The theme editor introduces a special issue examining the ethical issues raised by faith commitments in the patient-physician relationship.

Physicians need to understand the need for clarity and rigor in defining spirituality in research and practice to bring spirituality into the practice of health care.

Physicians need to understand their roles and limitations of their own faith in providing end-of-life care.

Physicians face ethical dilemmas when patients request medical help in pursuing behavior the physician believes is immoral.

Physicians need to understand that a patient's faith shapes his or her understanding of illness and know how to respond when the patient attempts to evangelize during the clinical encounter.

Religious commitment supports a faith-based health clinic in its efforts to serve the poor patient population in its Chicago community.