Chaplaincy as Public Theology
A Reflective Exploration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v3i2.27176Keywords:
chaplaincy, theology, public theology, metaphor, imaginationAbstract
This article explores the need for a renewed and creative engagement with theology on the part of chaplains so as to articulate and assist the public work of chaplains in (mostly secular) institutions. Acknowledging the current performed public theology of chaplains and the dearth of formal theological activity, some of the possible inhibitors to engaging with theology are then discussed. Images and metaphors of theology are advanced with a view to showing the pluriform nature of this activity. It is then suggested that chaplains could adopt more creative and imaginative approaches to their theological traditions that might enable prophetic and apologetic roles within organizations, to the benefit of those organizations and of chaplaincy itself.
References
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Bondi, R. (1995) Memories of God: Theological Reflections on Life. London: Darton, Longman & Todd.
Bonhoeffer, D. (1997) Creation and Fall: A Theological Exposition of Genesis 1–3. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
Brueggemann, W. (2001) The Prophetic Imagination. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Brown, M., S. Pattison and G. Smith (2012) “The Possibility of Citizen Theology: Public Theology after Christendom and the Enlightenment”. International Journal of Public Theology 6 (2012): 183–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156973212X634948
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Carey, L. B., R. Davoren and J. Cohen (2009) “The Sacralization of Identity: An Interfaith Spiritual Care Paradigm for Chaplaincy in a Multi-faith Context”. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 12(1-2): 63–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J080v12n01_06
Carey, L. B., and C. Newell (2002) “Clinical Pastoral Education and the Value of Empirical Research: Examples from Australian and New Zealand Datum”. In Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 12(1-2): 63–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J080v12n01_06
Ellul, J. (1985) The Humiliation of the Word. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Fierro, A. (1977) The Militant Gospel. London: SCM Press.
Gilliat-Ray, S., M. Ali and S. Pattison (2013) Understanding Muslim Chaplaincy. Farnham: Ashgate.
Graham, E. (2013) Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Public Theology in a Post-secular Age. London: SCM Press.
Hancocks, G., J. Sherbourne and C. Swift. (2008) “‘Are They Refugees?’ Why Church of England Male Clergy Enter Health Care Chaplaincy”. Practical Theology 1(2): 163–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/prth.v1i2.163
Harvey, G. (2013) Food, Sex and Strangers: Understanding Religion as Everyday Life. Durham: Acumen.
Heelas, P., and L. Woodhead (2005) The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Oxford: Blackwell.
Ingold, T. (2007) Lines: A Brief History. London: Routledge.
Johnson, M. (1990) The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination and Reason. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Kirkwood, N. A. (2002) Pastoral Care to Muslims: Building Bridges. New York: Routledge.
Koestler, A. (1989) The Act of Creation. London: Arkana.
Lakoff, G., and M. Johnson (1981) Metaphors We Live By. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Lynch, G. (2007) The New Spirituality: An Introduction to Progressive Belief in the Twenty-first Century. London: I.B. Tauris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199557011.001.0001
Lynch, G. (2012) The Sacred in the Modern World: A Cultural Sociological Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
McFague, S. (1982) Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious Language. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Mol, H. (1976) Identity and the Sacred. Oxford: Blackwell.
Nussbaum, M. (1997) Poetic Justice: The Literary Imagination and Public Life. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
—(2012) Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Orsi, R. (2006) Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars who Study Them. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Pagels, E. (1982) The Gnostic Gospels. London: Penguin.
Pattison, S. (1997) The Faith of the Managers: When Management becomes Religion. London: Cassell.
—(2000) A Critique of Pastoral Care. Third edn. London: SCM Press.
—(2007) The Challenge of Practical Theology. London: Jessica Kingsley.
—(2010) “Spirituality and Spiritual Care Made Simple”. Practical Theology 3(3): 351–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/prth.v3i3.351
—(forthcoming) “Situating Chaplaincy in the United Kingdom: The Acceptable Face of Religion?” In A Handbook of Chaplaincy, eds C. Swift, M. Cobb and A. Todd. Farnham: Ashgate.
Pattison, S., B. Hannigan, R. Pill and H. Thomas, eds (2010) Emerging Values in Health care. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Swift, C. (2014) Hospital Chaplaincy in the Twenty-first Century. Second edn. Farnham: Ashgate.
Swinton, J. (2003) “A Question of Identity: What Does it Mean for Chaplains to Become Healthcare Professionals?” Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy 6(2): 1–8.
Taylor, C. (2003) Modern Social Imaginaries. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/9780822385806
Thompson, J., S. Pattison and R. Thompson (2008) The SCM Studyguide to Theological Reflection. London: SCM Press.
Threlfall-Holmes, M., and M. Newitt (2011) Being a Chaplain. London: SPCK.
Toulmin, S. (1992) Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Young, F. (2013) God’s Presence: A Contemporary Recapitulation of Early Christianity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bondi, R. (1995) Memories of God: Theological Reflections on Life. London: Darton, Longman & Todd.
Bonhoeffer, D. (1997) Creation and Fall: A Theological Exposition of Genesis 1–3. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
Brueggemann, W. (2001) The Prophetic Imagination. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Brown, M., S. Pattison and G. Smith (2012) “The Possibility of Citizen Theology: Public Theology after Christendom and the Enlightenment”. International Journal of Public Theology 6 (2012): 183–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156973212X634948
Cadge, W. (2012) Paging God: Religion in the Halls of Medicine. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226922133.001.0001
Carey, L. B., R. Davoren and J. Cohen (2009) “The Sacralization of Identity: An Interfaith Spiritual Care Paradigm for Chaplaincy in a Multi-faith Context”. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 12(1-2): 63–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J080v12n01_06
Carey, L. B., and C. Newell (2002) “Clinical Pastoral Education and the Value of Empirical Research: Examples from Australian and New Zealand Datum”. In Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 12(1-2): 63–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J080v12n01_06
Ellul, J. (1985) The Humiliation of the Word. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Fierro, A. (1977) The Militant Gospel. London: SCM Press.
Gilliat-Ray, S., M. Ali and S. Pattison (2013) Understanding Muslim Chaplaincy. Farnham: Ashgate.
Graham, E. (2013) Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Public Theology in a Post-secular Age. London: SCM Press.
Hancocks, G., J. Sherbourne and C. Swift. (2008) “‘Are They Refugees?’ Why Church of England Male Clergy Enter Health Care Chaplaincy”. Practical Theology 1(2): 163–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/prth.v1i2.163
Harvey, G. (2013) Food, Sex and Strangers: Understanding Religion as Everyday Life. Durham: Acumen.
Heelas, P., and L. Woodhead (2005) The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Oxford: Blackwell.
Ingold, T. (2007) Lines: A Brief History. London: Routledge.
Johnson, M. (1990) The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination and Reason. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Kirkwood, N. A. (2002) Pastoral Care to Muslims: Building Bridges. New York: Routledge.
Koestler, A. (1989) The Act of Creation. London: Arkana.
Lakoff, G., and M. Johnson (1981) Metaphors We Live By. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Lynch, G. (2007) The New Spirituality: An Introduction to Progressive Belief in the Twenty-first Century. London: I.B. Tauris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199557011.001.0001
Lynch, G. (2012) The Sacred in the Modern World: A Cultural Sociological Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
McFague, S. (1982) Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious Language. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Mol, H. (1976) Identity and the Sacred. Oxford: Blackwell.
Nussbaum, M. (1997) Poetic Justice: The Literary Imagination and Public Life. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
—(2012) Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Orsi, R. (2006) Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars who Study Them. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Pagels, E. (1982) The Gnostic Gospels. London: Penguin.
Pattison, S. (1997) The Faith of the Managers: When Management becomes Religion. London: Cassell.
—(2000) A Critique of Pastoral Care. Third edn. London: SCM Press.
—(2007) The Challenge of Practical Theology. London: Jessica Kingsley.
—(2010) “Spirituality and Spiritual Care Made Simple”. Practical Theology 3(3): 351–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/prth.v3i3.351
—(forthcoming) “Situating Chaplaincy in the United Kingdom: The Acceptable Face of Religion?” In A Handbook of Chaplaincy, eds C. Swift, M. Cobb and A. Todd. Farnham: Ashgate.
Pattison, S., B. Hannigan, R. Pill and H. Thomas, eds (2010) Emerging Values in Health care. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Swift, C. (2014) Hospital Chaplaincy in the Twenty-first Century. Second edn. Farnham: Ashgate.
Swinton, J. (2003) “A Question of Identity: What Does it Mean for Chaplains to Become Healthcare Professionals?” Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy 6(2): 1–8.
Taylor, C. (2003) Modern Social Imaginaries. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/9780822385806
Thompson, J., S. Pattison and R. Thompson (2008) The SCM Studyguide to Theological Reflection. London: SCM Press.
Threlfall-Holmes, M., and M. Newitt (2011) Being a Chaplain. London: SPCK.
Toulmin, S. (1992) Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Young, F. (2013) God’s Presence: A Contemporary Recapitulation of Early Christianity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Published
2015-10-16
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Pattison, S. (2015). Chaplaincy as Public Theology: A Reflective Exploration. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 3(2), 110-128. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v3i2.27176
