Moving Beyond Spiritual Assessments: A Dynamic, Augustinian Approach to Spiritual Care of the Dying
Spiritual assessment tools (SATs) have become fundamentally integrated into contemporary pastoral care, objectifying spirituality in a way that does little to appreciate its fluidity and dynamicity. In this paper, I use St. Augustine’s theology to argue that spirituality is dynamic and fluctuating,...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
2023
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| In: |
Journal of pastoral theology
Year: 2023, Volume: 33, Issue: 2, Pages: 106-121 |
| IxTheo Classification: | CB Christian life; spirituality KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity RB Church office; congregation RG Pastoral care |
| Further subjects: | B
Augustine
B Chaplaincy B Spirituality B Narrative B Spiritual care B dynamic |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Spiritual assessment tools (SATs) have become fundamentally integrated into contemporary pastoral care, objectifying spirituality in a way that does little to appreciate its fluidity and dynamicity. In this paper, I use St. Augustine’s theology to argue that spirituality is dynamic and fluctuating, involving continuous movement and growth. To show that SATs cannot insightfully comprehend the spiritual experiences of the terminally ill, I first draw upon St. Augustine’s analysis of time, which accentuates that spirituality cannot be quantified. I then articulate St. Augustine’s account of divine deification, which shows that spirituality is comprised of incessant ascent and descent. I conclude by proposing a narrative chaplaincy approach that draws upon St. Augustine’s account of time and memory. By viewing spirituality through an Augustinian lens and implementing a dynamic narrative approach, chaplains can help instill a sense of peace in the terminally ill and cherish each patient’s fluid spiritual experiences. |
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| ISSN: | 2161-4504 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of pastoral theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/10649867.2022.2028053 |