| Summary: | BackgroundThe topos of the Compassionate God is a dominant motive of the Jewish and Christiantraditions. It is relevant for nursing because it asks the nurse to imitate God so as tobecome God-like. Also, to think that God suffers with the suffering believers is thought togive comfort to them. Because in the western world the topos of the CompassionateGod represents the basis of the ethics of compassion/caring, this piece of basic research isimportant for clinical practice. This study explores to what extent Jewish and Christiannursing adhered to the biblical topos of the Compassionate God at different periods andin different cultural contexts.MethodA mixed methods approach was used. It included variations of hermeneutical text analysisas used in historical, philosophical, theological, science of religion, and nursing research.ResultsThe analysis of the literary sources shows that the topos of the Compassionate God wasinterpreted differently in different cultural contexts. However, at all times it directedreligious and secular nursing. Since the beginning of the 21st century it builds the core of“compassionate caring” as propagated by North American nursing science.ConclusionsThe topos of the Compassionate God laid the foundation of the tradition of the ethics ofcompassion in nursing. More research is required to learn whether it also plays a role inIslamic nursing.
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