Pastoral Care in Context

Developing effective pastoral responses at different life stages

What...•What is Pastoral

care?

•What is the context?

•Developmental Theory & application in pastoral care

• Pastoral care model/metaphor

A Holy

Adhocracy

We have been set apart to be

highly flexible, loosely coupled

and amenable to

frequent change!

What is Pastoral Care?

•Biblical Images/examples

•Definitions

Pastoral care is a person-centred, holistic approach to

care that complements the care offered by other helping disciplines while paying

particular attention to spiritual care.

The focus of pastoral care is upon the healing, guiding, supporting, reconciling, nurturing, liberating, and empowering of people in

whatever situation they find themselves.

A Basic Model

Consists of 3 Dimensions:

Pastor as personal comforter Pastor as moral counselor Pastor as ritual coordinator

•Biblical Images/examples

• Techniques may include:

• active listening

• unconditional positive regard

• empathy

• compassion

•What Else?

Personal Comforter

•Biblical images/examples

• Techniques may include:

• active listening

• Teaching/correcting

• theological models/themes

•What else?

Moral Counsellor

• Biblical Examples/images

• Techniques may include:

• liturgy

• symbolic practices

• reviews/reminiscing

•what else?

Ritual Coordinator

A dance…•We need to be present

•We need to listen to the music

•We feel the rhythm (know the context)

•We need to engage with our dance partners (know the person)

Focus on us: how do we dance?

•How do you do pastoral care?

•What does it look like?

•How do you understand/see yourself in the role of the carer?

•Who are the people to whom you minister?

•How well do you know them?

•What makes them tick?

•What are the main life-events/situations they experience?

Focus on the other…with whom are you dancing?

•Understanding the person is crucial

•Understanding where they are at in life is crucial

•Develop effective pastoral interventions/practices /rituals

•How can we do that?

Listening to the music feeling the

rhythm…

• Erik Erikson’s psychosocial developmental stages

Psychosocial Developmental Theory

• 8 stages of life psychological development

• Each stage of life we face establishes equilibrium between ourselves and our world

•Development is life-long & stages are divided based on specific crises to be resolved

• Each psychological stage has an age period

• Each stage has a crisis which needs to be resolved

• Each stage builds on the last one

• Associated with each stage is a virtue which is the results of a resolved crisis

• Associated with each stage is a ritualisation

•We will examine it today for its usefulness

We pastorally support people at and through

these stages…

What could our role(s) be?

Engaging your dance partner…

What rituals can you think

of (or think up)

that would be helpful for

each stage of

development?

Erikson’s Stages of Ritualisation

Ritualisation in Church life

•Donald Capp (2002) takes each ritual element and relates them to rituals in church life

•Emphasises the pastor’s role as the ritual coordinator

Ritual Coordinator

Trust vs. Mistrust•Ritual Element: Numinous•Form of Encounter: mutual

recognition•Disorienting exp.: separation &

abandonment•Resulting in mistrust

•Ritual Excess: Idolism•What does this correspond to in

ministry/church?

Autonomy vs. shame & Doubt

•Ritual Element: Judicious•Form of Encounter: trial•Disorienting exp.: Approval/disapproval•Resulting in inadequacy/self doubt

•Ritual Excess: legalism•What does this correspond to in

ministry/church?

Initiative vs. Guilt•Ritual Element: Dramatic•Form of Encounter: drama & Story •Disorienting exp.: self condemnation•Resulting in guilt

•Ritual Excess: moralism•What does this correspond to in

ministry/church?

Examples from Aged

Care

Integrity vs. Despair•Ritual Element: Integral•Form of Encounter: personification of

ritual wisdom•Disorienting exp.: incoherence•Resulting in despair/bitterness

•Ritual Excess: dogmatism / sapientism

•What does this correspond to in ministry/church?

•Life Review as ritual:•Express •Reconcile •Forgive •Accept •Give/Gifts

Putting it all together…

•Move into 4 groups: •Each group take 2 developmental

stages

•What is the main crisis & virtue in your stages?•What do you think these would look

like in real life?•What are some rituals that would help

during the stages?•Can you think up any other

rituals/symbols that may help?

Fowler’s Stages of Faith development

Erikson & Fowler•Did you notice any interesting possible

overlaps between the two?•Synthetic-conventional AND Identity vs.

Role confusion

Fowler•Adoption of all encompassing belief

system•Reliance on institution for stability•Authority is external •Individuals or groups representing

one’s beliefs•Most people remain at this stage!