Browsing by Subject "Pastoral counseling"

This thesis will examine hospital chaplaincy and its role within the changing paradigm of population health by addressing the question of what chaplaincy looks like beyond the walls of the hospital. The thesis will include several moves that account for the development of the profession and possible areas of growth in dialogue with public health and behavioral health. The first move is historical. This section will cover the development of chaplaincy at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and its relationship to counseling, community engagement, and accrediting bodies. It will also discuss the formation of FaithHealth as both a divisional identity as part of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and a distinct department of community engagement. The second move will be to present the role of chaplain manager within the division of FaithHealth of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and its pioneering work of integrating chaplaincy, community engagement, and licensed counseling. The third move will describe the function of chaplain managers during the coronavirus pandemic and the structure that allowed the model to adapt to a changing landscape. The final move will evaluate the role of chaplain managers from the individuals that assume these roles and leaders within the medical system and provide a snapshot into future possibilities for this role and innovative ministry opportunities.The purpose of this work is threefold: 1) to provide a model for integrating spiritual care, behavioral health and population health into the role of chaplain manager; 2) to advocate for the profession’s continued expansion by adapting chaplaincy’s skillsets in community health; 3) to begin a conversation about modifying educational and professional bodies to best prepare graduates and professionals for the changing landscape of healthcare. Such a model could provide clearer vocational pathways for dual degree divinity school programs and forge new partnerships between public health and divinity schools. Furthermore, given the reinstated associational connection between pastoral counseling and clinical pastoral education, this model of integration could create new associational paths to certification. The connection between pastoral counseling and chaplaincy that thrived before managed care will be revisited as it shows different, yet complementary, fruits of deeply rooted spiritual care.

Transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary people have historically had a bad relationship with Christianity. We have experienced rejection, physical harm, and spiritual violence justified in the name of faith. Such a history of trauma means it is hard for transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary people to find refuge and sanctuary in the church. Those who have reconciled or remained connected to faith are often looked upon suspiciously by others within our communities. Even the most affirming churches fail to recognize the unique needs of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary people. Many others stand by and remain complicit in the harm done in the name of faith. Using memoirs and resources written by and about the lives and experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary people, this resource equips pastors and lay leaders to understand better the spiritual needs of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary people and communities.

This thesis integrates Murray Bowen’s concept of Differentiation of Self (DoS) with pastoral theology and practice. It does so with a particular emphasis on how DoS can assist pastors living and working in the North American context, and who are wrestling with vocational issues surrounding secularism, as defined by philosopher Charles Taylor, and systems anxiety. After laying out the initial problem of pastoral ministry within the North American context and then showing how Bowen’s understanding of family systems can and cannot overlap with Christian theology and practice, each chapter of this thesis aims to approach the issue of integration of DoS and pastoral theology from a different perspective: hermeneutic, missiological, and finally systems leadership.

This thesis integrates Murray Bowen’s concept of Differentiation of Self (DoS) with pastoral theology and practice. It does so with a particular emphasis on how DoS can assist pastors living and working in the North American context, and who are wrestling with vocational issues surrounding secularism, as defined by philosopher Charles Taylor, and systems anxiety. After laying out the initial problem of pastoral ministry within the North American context and then showing how Bowen’s understanding of family systems can and cannot overlap with Christian theology and practice, each chapter of this thesis aims to approach the issue of integration of DoS and pastoral theology from a different perspective: hermeneutic, missiological, and finally systems leadership.

This dissertation studies Monsignor Óscar Romero’s theological, hermeneutical, and pastoral approach to preaching to the suffering and wounded people of El Salvador from 1977 to 1980 while he was the Archbishop of San Salvador. At that time, the marginalization, oppression, persecution, and exploitation of the poor people of El Salvador at the hands of the government, the oligarchy, the armed forces, and paramilitary groups was unbearable. The blood of the poor people and religious leaders who defended the poor, including his friend Rutilio Grande, was running through the mountains, lakes, and beaches of El Salvador, and Archbishop Romero could no longer ignore it. Through his homilies, he gave voice to their trauma and denounced the oppressive systems and structures that were at the root of their suffering. Inspired by the Holy Spirit and guided by his sentir with God, the people, and the Magisterium of the Church, Romero became the Spirit-guided and empathetic pastor the people needed. Through his homilies, Romero provided a “sanctuary space” where these suffering and wounded people could find refuge, hope, and possibility. The dissertation examines the ways in which Romero’s theological, hermeneutical, and pastoral framework can inform sermons that speak to suffering and traumatized people, such as undocumented Hispanic/Latinx immigrants in the U.S.

As many theologians and pastors have pointed out, there is much fertile ground to be discovered in combining worship with intentional pastoral care and vice versa. This concept of pastoral care being integrated into worship is rooted in the theology of an incarnational God who is intimately involved with our daily lives. When we worship God, we encounter God’s presence, which is inherently full of grace, mercy, and love. There are times in our lives when this encounter is desperately needed for what we refer to as “healing.” Unlike physical healing, spiritual and mental healing often requires that which goes beyond the body, yet involves the body. Worship services can offer this.

As a pastor, I have taken vows to walk with people through life, to care for and nurture them spiritually. A large part of this responsibility is leading them in worship and helping them make sense of their lives, as well as helping them find words to express their life experiences as they commune with God.

This thesis will explore how the Protestant Church has ministered to congregants (or failed to minister to them) through two specific life experiences: miscarriage and sexual abuse. Through surveys and interviews, I will share real stories and examples of how these individuals felt cared for (or uncared for). Finally, I will offer new liturgy for worship services that might offer pastoral care to people in similar situations. Each service will include liturgy, suggested music, Scripture passages recommended for a sermon, and ideas for interactive elements that will allow people to acknowledge their feelings and stand together in community while turning to God for hope and healing.

Given the prevalence and cost of workplace bullying, and the degree to which the systemic issues that support it are not soon to change for the American worker, this thesis will educate pastors on how, through the study of select psalms, they might go about counseling victims of this devastating form of interpersonal sin. The thesis will employ the research of experts in organizational behavior to define and describe the phenomenon of workplace bullying; mine the scriptural and commentary traditions for insight into the dynamics of interpersonal hostility; and provide journaling and visualization exercises for pastors to use in the counseling relationship. The thesis will conclude with suggestions as to how pastors might leverage congregational resources to support victims of workplace bullying and working congregants.

Over and over again, research has proven that good mentors are essential for the advancement of ministers-in-training. There is significant emerging research on the life-long impact that mentoring has on individuals who are preparing for vocational ministry. This work is written to mentors of ministers-in-training. In this dissertation, I will take a deep-dive into the emerging research. Particularly noteworthy is the work of Dr. Matthew Bloom at the University of Notre Dame study, Flourishing in Ministry. This research has shown that mentors are one of the most important factors in the well-being of a person in ministry (especially early on in the formation of a person in ministry). Role models and mentors shape an individual’s journey into ministry. In this work, I will closely examine four movements of transformational mentoring: selection, shepherding, sponsoring, and sending.

In the scriptures we are called into a new way of thinking about mentoring. I have leaned into the words of Romans 12:1-2 in this work. The Romans 12 model cautions us with “do not be conformed” and calls us instead to “be transformed.” Mentoring is not meant to be a model of duplication that leads to repetition of the same patterns. We are called to live outside of the predetermined mold and to live into transformation. Transformational Mentoring is the process of mentoring people to become that which we may not yet be able to see or know. They become more fully the person that God has created them to be, and in the process they learn to use their unique gifting in their ministry—they begin to flourish. Transformational mentoring allows an individual to fully be the person God has created them to be without the pressure of being duplicated into a particular expected mold. When a person is being transformed, they begin to live outside of the expectations imposed upon them, and they begin to see themselves through God’s lenses. For one to flourish in ministry, they must be invited into a process that allows for transformation to occur. Transformational mentoring allows God’s presence and power shape a person. Thus, creating something new and beautiful and healthy and flourishing.

There are American evangelical distortions of ‘muscular’ Christianity influencing the twenty-first century American Christian Church. These distortions unwittingly encourage Christian men to find their identity primarily in ‘being authentic men’ and lead them on inward journeys to discover their inherent masculinity. These pursuits, although well intentioned, can result in Christian men identifying with and embracing firmly human traits of power, strength, courage, and a sense of adventure in a way that eclipses Christ and their ultimate identity as Christian men in the crucified, risen, ascended, and reigning Lord. Such pursuits do not leave men content in Christ.

This thesis presents those distortions and offers one possible remedy by engaging a close reading of the Apostle Paul’s theme of ‘strength in weakness’ in 2 Corinthians 10–13 and bringing it into conversation with Martin Luther’s ‘theology of the cross’. The thesis reveals that the Apostle Paul’s ‘muscular’ Christianity was externally rather than internally focused. Paul’s identity as a Christian man is rooted firmly as one who is ‘in Christ’. Paul did not look inward to himself when confronted with the challenges of his calling as an apostle and the sufferings of the Christian life but always fixed his eyes on the crucified and risen Lord Jesus who was crucified in weakness and was raised by the power of God. For Paul, the crucified and risen Lord Jesus was his ‘strength in weakness’. Paul’s ‘muscular’ Christianity involved embracing, for the sake of the all-sufficient Gospel of Jesus Christ, his own weaknesses, inadequacies, inabilities, and insufficiencies in humility and in suffering. For Paul, being weak in Christ means he is his strongest (2 Corinthians 12:10).

There are American evangelical distortions of ‘muscular’ Christianity influencing the twenty-first century American Christian Church. These distortions unwittingly encourage Christian men to find their identity primarily in ‘being authentic men’ and lead them on inward journeys to discover their inherent masculinity. These pursuits, although well intentioned, can result in Christian men identifying with and embracing firmly human traits of power, strength, courage, and a sense of adventure in a way that eclipses Christ and their ultimate identity as Christian men in the crucified, risen, ascended, and reigning Lord. Such pursuits do not leave men content in Christ.

This thesis presents those distortions and offers one possible remedy by engaging a close reading of the Apostle Paul’s theme of ‘strength in weakness’ in 2 Corinthians 10–13 and bringing it into conversation with Martin Luther’s ‘theology of the cross’. The thesis reveals that the Apostle Paul’s ‘muscular’ Christianity was externally rather than internally focused. Paul’s identity as a Christian man is rooted firmly as one who is ‘in Christ’. Paul did not look inward to himself when confronted with the challenges of his calling as an apostle and the sufferings of the Christian life but always fixed his eyes on the crucified and risen Lord Jesus who was crucified in weakness and was raised by the power of God. For Paul, the crucified and risen Lord Jesus was his ‘strength in weakness’. Paul’s ‘muscular’ Christianity involved embracing, for the sake of the all-sufficient Gospel of Jesus Christ, his own weaknesses, inadequacies, inabilities, and insufficiencies in humility and in suffering. For Paul, being weak in Christ means he is his strongest (2 Corinthians 12:10).