The Process
In order to fill the gaps in your knowledge, complete the following tasks using this worksheet (requires Adobe Acrobat 4.0).
Religion
Pick one saint referenced in Chapter 10's "cigarette game." Read the article about him/her here. Answer the following questions:
1. How is your
saint referenced in the Agnes of God text?
2. Is the reference positive or negative? How so?
3. How does the text reference relate to the life of
your saint? Interpret the reference using the information from the article
you have just read.
Religion versus Science
As the psychiatrist examining Sister Agnes, you represent science. Read these two essays on the compatibility of science and religion.
How might you defend your actions as a psychiatrist if Mother Miriam Ruth challenges them? Use valid arguments from the texts, or devise your own.
Religion in Government
It is important for you to learn about the influence of religion on government in Canada as opposed to the United States, with which you are familiar. Read this website about religion in Canada. Then search here for a few of queries on this topic (e.g. religion, Catholic, Catholicism). You may also apply your own knowledge in answering the following questions:
1.
Compare your findings for each site.
2. Do your findings surprise you? Why or why not?
3. Relate your findings to your knowledge of the U.S.
Constitution.
4. Give details
of an example that is not found in the book of how religion could or will affect
your job as court-appointed psychiatrist in Sister Agnes's case.
Science on Religious Phenomena
In reading Dr. Livingston's report, you see that Mother Miriam Ruth claimed to have seen Sister Agnes's stigmata. Reread this passage about Agnes's stigmata. Then read a skeptic's viewpoint.
If Mother Miriam Ruth argued about Agnes's affliction with you, as she did with Dr. Livingston, how would you respond? Do not become angry, as Dr. Livingston did; rather, use valid points and your experience as a psychiatrist to cope with the situation.
Your Final Task
Here is Dr. Livingston's final report on Sister Agnes's case. You now must finish her evaluation.
In order to complete this process:
1.
Be sure you have read chapters 1-12 in Agnes of God thoroughly.
These represent Dr. Livingston's final psychiatric report on Agnes. You,
as the new court-appointed psychiatrist, are not privy to any information
in chapters 13-15.
2.
Perform your own final hypnosis on Agnes here. Record Agnes's responses and reactions and include them in your
final evaluation.
3. Make your
diagnosis. Is Agnes fit to stand trial? A reference on this topic may be found
here.
4. Write your
official psychiatric evaluation using this
form (Requires Adobe Acrobat 4.0). Include all relevant information from Dr. Livingston's
report any relevant
information provided by other sources (e.g. Mother Miriam Ruth), as well as a
summary of your hypnotism. Include
information from at least one of the four informational exercises and relate it
to Sister Agnes's case.
Some things to remember:
The only background information you have is your initial research and Dr. Livingston's final report (chapters 1-12 in Agnes of God).
You are not Dr. Livingston, and thus did not perform the final hypnosis in Chapter 14. Do not use this in your psychiatric evaluation. Your evaluation may yield different results.
You also do not know about the conversation in which Mother Miriam Ruth admits she helped deliver Agnes's baby. Do not assume that Mother Miriam Ruth knew of Agnes's pregnancy or was the one in her bedroom on the night of the birth.