The Science of the Good Samaritan

July 31, 2023
Epidemiologist Smith debuts with a paradigm-expanding analysis of the Bible’s command to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” According to Smith, “truly being a neighbor goes way beyond simply donating food or money... it’s also changing our hearts and posture to match those deeds,” from wisely choosing “who we surround ourselves with and give our attention to” (a bigoted remark from a friend can subconsciously “seep in to become a part of us”) to bridging divides with those from different social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. More broadly, readers can pursue environmental justice initiatives to protect “global” neighbors from the ills of climate change, or advocate for universal healthcare for the sake of the medically vulnerable. Noting that being neighborly isn’t without cost, Smith recounts how she created a Facebook page during the Covid-19 pandemic to answer safety questions and advocate for “protecting through social distancing, using masks, and getting vaccines,” and was deluged by harassing messages. She informs readers that “being the kind of neighbor Jesus talked about” sometimes entails sacrificing “financial security, prestige, lifelong community, time,” though the cost is “redeemed... many times over.” Smith nimbly brings faith to bear on social justice and global health issues to make a compassionate case for the value of human interconnectedness as an integral part of Christianity. Open-minded believers will be challenged and inspired.

September 1, 2023
Smith's debut is an anecdotal, friendly, yet bold assertion that science and faith can and should mix. She revisits the parable of the Good Samaritan by recentering the person in need and encouraging readers to love their neighbor (broadly conceived as all of humanity). Her PhD in epidemiology and work to strengthen health-care systems in low-income countries have given her a deep understanding of poverty, plus the will not to walk by the injured. Through the lenses of science and faith, which she argues are complementary, Smith enlightens readers on how epidemiology quantifies needs and produces understanding by teasing stories from data and spreadsheets. She unpacks compelling examples, past and present, of stark injustices in health care, including deadly inequities in health outcomes for women with preeclampsia, children needing cancer treatment, and the staggering 70 percent of people in the world without access to safe surgical care. Included are an appendix, a resource list, and notes: a simple toolkit to start seeing and caring for neighbors. A practical, faith-based eye-opener for valuing greater human flourishing and leaving fewer on the roadside.

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