Pondering a "Good Death" for a Better Life

Send us a text

This week on Church Potluck, Dale welcomes two guests who encourage us to stare death in the face. Dr. Sam Nazione, associate professor of business communication and a health communication scholar, opens the lid on her Honors course “A Good Death”—why she built it, what students learn, and how talking about death actually teaches us to live better. Rev. Chris Barbieri, a hospital chaplain and United Methodist minister who assists with the course, brings nine years of bedside wisdom, explaining the difference between palliative care and hospice, how families navigate chronic illness and death, and the spiritual practices that turn hospital rooms into sacred places of transcendence.

Together we explore:

• What makes a “good death” (and why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer).
• The power of clear, compassionate communication with loved ones and clinicians, including advance-care wishes.
• Media myths vs. medical realities.
• Grief before death (lost plans, new realities) and why humor sometimes helps.
• How spirituality, social support, and community (church, clubs, even pet companions) shape end-of-life wellbeing.
• Health disparities and pain management—why listening and representation matter.
• Practical ways friends can help without overwhelming the family (“What does support look like for you right now?”).
• Famous “Last Words” in our signature game show format.

It's a cornucopia of Christian curiosity. Feast!

The views expressed on Church Potluck are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.