天主教徒病患從患病、受苦、救贖中發展出對「苦」的超自然理解角度之案例研究

本文以「超自然」概念作為一個討論點，通過患重症的天主教徒的患病經驗，考察宗教與病苦的關係。研究焦點是天主教徒病患如何發展出對「苦」的超自然理解角度，達致某種自我轉化。本文以一位天主教徒病患個案做主線描述，細緻地勾畫其心路歷程和思想變化，並參照理性選擇理論所指的工具理性，分析當中的思考模式的轉變。我們的研究發現，衡量利害得失和以自身利益為本位的思考模式有助天主教徒接受病苦的事實，但「救贖痛苦」此一對於受苦的超自然觀點，就需要有相應的超自然理解角度才能夠產生出對病苦的宗教性接受，當中涉及漫長的轉變歷程，包括在思維方面逐步跳出以自身利益為本位的工具理性框架，在行為方面發展相關的德性修煉。就後者言，同理心的建立有助於轉化自我中心的性格及與其相連的思維模式。

關鍵字

超自然；理性；苦；天主教徒病患；修德

並列摘要

This article explores issues related to the supernatural by examining the illness experience of Catholics having chronic pains and incurable diseases. The main focus is how Catholic patients can develop a supernatural perspective on suffering and lead to a certain self-transformation. We focus in detail on one individual as a case and, using the method of thick description, reveal changes in feelings and thoughts occurred in the context of suffering. Special attention is given to changes in the mode of thought related to instrumental rationality purported by the rational choice theory of religion. Our research findings indicate that reasoning based on self-interest, together with the natural human inclination to minimize loss and pain, can help Catholic patients to accept and live with illnesses. As for accepting and ultimately transcending pain, a supernatural perspective is required for enabling an authentic understanding of the Catholic concept of redemptive suffering. It necessarily involves a long process of making changes in two respects: jumping out of the instrumental mode of thinking that gives primacy to individual self-interest, and striving to practice relevant virtues in one's religious and everyday life. For the latter, we find that the cultivation of empathy is particularly conducive to transforming self-centered personality and self-focused mode of thinking.