Andrea Frolic

A Goodness I Cannot Explain

History & Biography

“In contemporary bioethics, there is much talk about relational autonomy: how individuals make medical decisions within a social context. But precisely how patients do this is poorly described in the literature. A Goodness I Cannot Explain is illuminating in its close description of the complexity of medical decision-making for patients--including the influences of personal psychology, spirituality, family, and community. This book will help healthcare professionals to glimpse into the unseen struggle of patients facing terrible choices, and provide solace to those of us who, as patients, have confronted difficult choices. The book is a literary instantiation of grace. In deeply poetical language, Stewart recruits a surprisingly wide range of Christian theological resources to illustrate one woman's struggle to hear the voice of God…and in the process, to honor her own.”