The Subject of Pastoral Care: A Discussion Based on the Theology of Henning Luther

In this article the author discusses the differences between pastoral care and psycho-social therapy. She clarifies the specific identity of pastoral care on the basis of Henning Luther’s theology. He distinguishes different anthropological presuppositions in pastoral care and psycho-social therapy. Consequently, she demonstrates the relevancy of Luther’s theology for today’s Practical Theology.

Listening to People with Dementia: A Pastoral Care Perspective

SUMMARY

Pastoral and Spiritual Care approaches to the reduction of depression in residential aged care facilities are considered. They are examined through specific one-to-one pastoral care, through a pastoral care person in the team approach to care and through a one-to-many relationship for group spiritual and religious activities. The suggestions in this article are offered as extensions to a manual, Challenge Depression, on managing depression in residential aged care as a way of including pastoral and spiritual care as part of an integrated approach and as part of a stand alone approach of pastoral care.     

Not Practising Theology

Many pastors are prepared for a vocation they do not practice while they are performing a ministry they have not learned. While providing pastoral care they are eager to help, support, and comfort but they hesitate to theologize, to practice theology. At least three considerations may offer an explanation for this paradoxical fact: 1. Most pastors consider theology to be static and historical instead of dynamic and interactional; 2. Students of theology never learn to practice theology, therefore, as a minister, they prefer to listen and refuse to speak; 3. Many ministers mask a lack of courage and motivation in publicly professing what they privately believe, by providing therapeutic help to those who are in pastoral need.     

Virtual Empathy? Anxieties and Connections Teaching and Learning Pastoral Care Online

Is it possible to teach pastoral care online? McGarrah Sharp and Morris describe their process of transforming a residential on‐campus pastoral care course into the first online offering of the course at their seminary. They begin by describing a series of pedagogical choices made with the intent of facilitating dynamic movement between peer‐to‐peer, small group, and whole class discussions throughout the semester. Before and during the course, anxieties arose at many levels of instruction for the professor, teaching assistant, and students. Anecdotes and examples from the online course show how the online course design and facilitation was able to name and respond to anxieties as part of integrating pastoral care course content and practice – a key learning goal for the course. The authors are persuaded that online pedagogy can help identify how anxieties create space for developing empathy as much, if not more than, a traditional on‐campus format.     

Stewardship Models of Pastoral Care,Counselling and Supervision: The Commonians Meet Ricoeur at Worship

The common factors debate in psychology and, more recently, marriage and family therapy is slow to erupt in pastoral care and counselling. This article introduces the common factors debate into pastoral science by proposing the Stewardship Models of Pastoral Ministry and Supervision. The model integrates common factors research and pastoral practice using Ricoeur’s “economy of the gift” ethic. The model’s focus is pastoral care, counselling and supervision in congregations, a unique community context in search of an adequate pastoral praxis.     

History and Method of Charles V. Gerkin’s Pastoral Theology: Toward an Identity-Embodied and Community-Embedded Pastoral Theology,Part I. History

The purpose of this article is to explore the legacy of Charles V. Gerkin’s pastoral theology and to construct a method of pastoral theology. In Part I, I will trace within a larger context of pastoral theology the history of Gerkin’s pastoral theology since his early clinical praxis. In Part II, I will explore his method of developing pastoral theology and construct a renewed critical and constructive method of pastoral theology, reflecting on the implications of exploring the history and method of his pastoral theology.     

Social pedagogy and pastoral care in schools

In the context of this paper, social pedagogy concerns how a person trained in social pedagogy can take up the role of a trusted and caring adult to help, support and empower troubled and vulnerable pupils to meet the demands they face in their lives so that they are better able to lead fulfilling and satisfying lives and can, in their turn, contribute to the betterment of society. This paper describes the nature of social pedagogy, highlights its origins and practice in mainland Europe, considers some key developments within the current context in England and outlines its implications for pastoral care in schools. There has been a marked growth in social pedagogy as an aspect of professional practice amongst the pastoral care community in England. Its further development will depend on an increasing recognition that pastoral care needs to follow the pupil into the different social settings they inhabit.     

Spiritual Need Five: Providing Quality Pastoral Care as a Congregation

SUMMARY

Critical to the needs of older adults is the care and nurturing of the feelings and emotions that often offer context for the human spirit. Grounded in the history of pastoral care, this chapter explores an approach to pastoral care that is reflective of the author's study and experience in the parish.     

Mental Health and Spirituality in Later Life: Pastoral Approaches

SUMMARY

This chapter proposes a perspective on providing pastoral care for people at risk of, or who have mental health problems in later life. Two major areas of mental health, depression and dementia are explored, examining their impact on older people and strategies to identify risk in depression, and signs indicating need for pastoral intervention in depression and/or dementia. The work from two studies that examine issues for meaning of people, the first for older people living independently and the second in residential care, form the basis of the material presented in this chapter. It is maintained that pastoral interventions may greatly improve quality of life for these people, their families and carers.¹     

Listening for Safe Places: Networks of Playing and Chalcedon in Disaster Pastoral Care

Disaster pastoral care operates in diverse contexts, which may challenge clergy responders in ecclesiological meaning‐making of their practices of care. This article argues that pastoral care may be imagined as part of a larger “network” of caring acts understood as a collective, multiple care practice. Such practice reflects deep‐rooted movements described in psychoanalytical theory as playing, and the christological idea of communication of properties. Therein, spiritual “safe places” can be seen to emerge, even in the midst of traumatic events.     

Wounds of Dislocation and the Yearning for Home: Re-Imagining Pastoral Theology

This article contributes to current conversations concerning the role pastoral care and theology can play in the renewal of public life.     

The Abuse of Power: A View of Sexual Misconduct in a Systemic Approach to Pastoral Care

The article explores the dynamics of transference and countertransference in hierarchical relationships which exist between clergy and lay persons, both in the parish setting, as well as in the pastoral counseling relationship. It is of utmost importance that the power differential be consciously acknowledged by pastoral caregivers so that appropriate boundaries can be exercised. All too often it is the negligent, careless, or unconscious disregard for this power dynamic by individuals providing pastoral care that has led to the sexual violations recently surfaced within our religious institutions. Acknowledgement of the imbalance of power, and its consequences for both clergy and parishioner, is essential in a systemic model of pastoral care.     

Abortion and Health Care Chaplaincy in Australia

This paper summarizes the results gained from quantitative and qualitative research involving 327 Australian health care chaplains with regard to their involvement in abortion issues within the health care context. The findings indicate that approximately 20% of surveyed chaplains had provided some form of pastoral intervention to patients and/or their families dealing with issues of abortion and that approximately 10% of chaplains had assisted clinical staff with issues concerning abortion. There was found to be no-statistically significant difference with regard to the number of catholic chaplains compared with protestant chaplains or staff chaplains compared with volunteer chaplains involved in abortion issues. Analysis using the WHO Pastoral Intervention codings highlighted a variety of issues encountered by chaplains and the non-judgmental pastoral care used by chaplains when assisting those dealing with abortion. Some implications of this study with respect to patient and clinical staff support are suggested. Dr. Lindsay Carey, M.App.Sc., Ph.D.: National Research Fellow, Australian Health & Welfare Chaplains Association & Faculty Associate, Palliative Care, School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Christopher Newell, AM, Ph.D.: Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.     

Provision of spiritual and pastoral care facilities in a high-security hospital and their increased use by those of Muslim compared to Christian faith

The relationship between religion and psychiatry remains controversial amongst British psychiatrists. We looked at the provision of spiritual and pastoral care facilities in a high-security hospital and the role of faith chaplains with particular reference to the Muslim minority group. There was a significantly higher uptake of pastoral care services amongst those of Muslim faith compared to Church of England and Roman Catholic Christians. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Resources allocated for the Muslim faith group were limited and heavily dependent on the availability of the Muslim faith chaplain. Our study highlighted the need for clearly defined standards for the provision of spiritual and pastoral care within high-secure psychiatric hospitals, and by implication other NHS psychiatric settings, a re-examination of the role of the faith chaplain in relation to the clinical team, and raised questions about the equitable allocation of resources between various faith groups within the hospital.     

Pastoral Counseling of Older Adults: Toward a Short-term Integrative Approach

A rapidly aging population with its mental health care needs presents an enormous challenge in the current mental health field. In light of this, pastoral counselors will have an increasingly important role to play in the care of older adults because of their strategic position in the community and their competence in dealing with religious/spiritual issues particularly salient in old age. This article proposes a short-term integrative approach to enable pastoral counselors to effectively and efficiently meet the mental health care needs of the elderly.

“I Hope That I Have Not Upset Youexcl;” Reclaiming a Pastoral Voice: Theoretical Exploration Upon a Practical Case

Pastoral care is enhanced by a diversity of pastoral perspectives. This paper presents a case that contains salient pastoral care issues. Conversing with this case, I examine four different pastoral orientations in order to discuss how each uniquely interprets and evaluates the human predicament. The chosen perspectives are psychoanalysis, existential theology, process theology, and Asian theology. I conclude that the inclusion of different perspectives, rather than overwhelm the pastoral caregiver, widen the lens through which we interpret and respond to the particular needs of others.     

Clinical Pragmatism in Bioethics: A Pastoral Approach

This paper addresses the integration of the philosophical school of American Pragmatism, as articulated by John Dewey and others, with the disciplines of bioethics and pastoral care. It suggests new avenues for theological reflection in the bioethical enterprise. It was first presented as the inaugural Anton. T. Boisen Lecture in Pastoral Care and Education in 2004 under the auspices of Continuum Hospice Care, New York.Curtis W. Hart, M.Div., is Director of Pastoral Care and Education, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center and Lecturer in Public Health, Medicine and Psychiatry, Division of Medical Ethics at Weill Medical College, Cornell University. Correspondence to Curtis W. Hart, Cuh9001@nyp.org.     

Self Psychology and End of Life Pastoral Care

This paper explores salient concepts of Heinz Kohut's self psychology in relation to pastoral caregiving with dying persons and family members. Examination of a principle case study and other relevant clinical examples illumines the discussion. It is argued that the principles of Kohut's psychology can critically inform pastoral theological reflection. Strengths and limitations are considered throughout the analysis, and gestures are made toward beneficial end of life pastoral theological practices for clients and practitioners.     

Pastoral Care for the Sick in a Post-Secular Age: An Ignatian Perspective

This pastoral-theology-based reflection on hospital chaplaincy,set within the horizon of the pastoral situation of Germanyin the post-secular (!) age, introduces the perspective of aconsolation-oriented ministry, as this was developed by Ignatiusof Loyola. Such a pastoral care for the sick, as integratedinto the basic offices of the church, presents a gradedmodelfor action: while human accompaniment is offered to all, spiritualministry is restricted, but realized in an ecumenically encompassingsense. Spiritual and ritual care for members of other religions,while these members are to be addressed according to the principleslaid down by Vatican II, is severely limited for reasons ofidentity and alterity. In all cases, however, Christianity ispresented as "therapeutic religion".     

A Study of Pastoral Care,Referral, and Consultation Practices Among Clergy in Four Settings in the New York City Area

Clergy (N = 179) in the catchment areas of four hospitals in New York and Connecticut were surveyed about their pastoral care activities. Factor analysis revealed two separate sets of problems presented in pastoral counseling, with respect to clergys ratings of their competence to address them. The first factor included grief, death and dying, anxiety, and marital problems, in descending order of frequency. The second factor consisted of depression, alcohol/drugs, domestic violence, severe mental illness, HIV/AIDS, and suicide. Clergy were significantly less confident of their ability to deal with Factor 2 problems, yet clergy rarely consulted with mental-health professionals about either type of problem. Less than half of the clergy had training in Clinical Pastoral Education, but those who did tended to feel they were more competent to deal with both types of problems. On average, clergy devoted 3.7 hours per week to visiting patients and nearly 55% said they were definitely more likely to refer a patient to a hospital with a pastoral care department.