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Drowning in the Bible and Contemporary Society: Responsibilities of Religious Caregivers

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to research drowning incidents and rescues that are included in the Bible and provide recommendations for how religious caregivers can support psychologically affected victims. Results confirm that the Bible contains six aquatic emergencies. Persons threatened with drowning were saved by an act of God, a human act and acts of human/divine interaction, when, for example, a person was ordered by God to perform an action which resulted in saving people on the threshold of drowning. The drowning casualties were largely individual males and some cases with multiple victims (male and female) as well. The outcomes of the drowning incidents were the survival of most of the casualties whose stories are told in the Bible. One person is reported to have drowned. Drowning incidents occurred at sea and on earth. The types of rescues used were reach-rescue and rescue and survival. The drowning casualties were rescued from land and from ships and boats by human rescuers. Some rescues were achieved by divine miracles.

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Acknowledgement

Thanks to Brenda McWilliams (Cambridge, UK) for editing advice prior to submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK

    Stathis Avramidis

  2. El. Venizelou 125a, Kastella Pireas, 18533, Greece

    Stathis Avramidis

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  1. Stathis Avramidis
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Avramidis, S. Drowning in the Bible and Contemporary Society: Responsibilities of Religious Caregivers. J Relig Health 49, 212–220 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-009-9235-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-009-9235-0

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