Theology and Ministry - Essay Example

Teacher’s ID Theology and Ministry Niklas Niklas discussed his experience regarding human relations and self-creations by mentioning themes like “to make be and to take care of” and “getting and giving in return (153). He further mentions recurrent stages of life by discussing Erikson’s theory that are further important to be understood and used by pastors. Niklas (154-155) mentions that in the beginning of every relationship, a behavioural mode of getting and giving in return is activated. This is the reason why a patient opens up to the pastor after feeling love and affection. Second stage entails the phenomenon of holding on and letting go of what we cannot control. Pastors and Ministers help parishioners in overcoming loss that they have sustained and holding onto what is in their control. Pastors can be especially helpful in the stage of “to make and to make alike” as during this phase, patients tend to experience guilt due to differences between their fantasies, sexual desires, self-perception i.e. a president or a celebrity, and reality i.e. an ill individual. Pastors assist people in realizing that their illness is not their fault, accept the reality and stop assuming responsibility for their sickness. Fourth stage of as mentioned by Erickson is of good dead meant for others. Niklas further urges that pastors should assist people in defining new criteria for their own and their family’s worth if they equate work to worth. Mostly patients sustain this state as they are not able to contribute to life of those around them. Niklas also highlights problems faced by patients in terms of their current identity as they go through a transition of being a normal individual to a sick person and in an attempt of regaining their old identity; they tend not to share their frustration and true inner feelings. Therefore, pastors should help patients and also instruct other personnel to not treat them as an object of disease and make an attempt of regaining a healthy identity. Niklas (161) also mentions the importance of having intimacy during sickness. Since patients are away from their family and friends, pastors have a responsibility of reconnecting them and also establishing amicable relations with them. The theme of seventh stage is “to make be and to take care of” which is related to the desire of reproducing and sharing values with future generations. Patients facing limitations in this regard and also in other life activities face stress and pastors need to allow them to realise their own potential. While counselling a sick person facing imminent death, ministers can be helpful in reducing fear of death felt by the patient and making them perceive as a completion than an end. In order to do so, they should analyse the root cause of their fear and tend to address that (Niklas 165). Niklas further sheds light on wonders that knowledge about spirituality can do for them as spirituality helps one analyse the rationale behind their existence and then further transform their perception about their relation with God. Niklas also presents a notion that Bible has explained God to be a faithful creator who accepts us as we are (170). In order to have a deep sense of spirituality, one needs to believe that God is nurturing, gentle and creative. Also, discovering our image of God strengthens our spirituality dependent on the approach that we follow considering God as a rewarding character or consider him a dedicated creator who will love us unconditionally. No matter what the approach is, the ability to trust is imperative (Niklas 173). In addition to that, our self-image which is a by-product of our history and our relations with others (and whether they value us or not) governs our relationship with God. Needing an individual who can accept us as we are makes us capable of admitting dependence on God (Niklas 182). This notion is further strengthen if we learn to forgive ourselves and accept us as we are since this aspect is directly related to our ability of praying since we perceive God as an accepting and forgiving entity (Niklas 184). For pastors, it is important to have good image of their own selves by forgiving themselves and also have a good image of God as only then, they will be able to perform their duties effectively (Niklas 187). Niklas further argues that our view about God is derived from our perception about ourselves. Also, this view of God’s attributes affects how patients perceive death i.e. they are likely to be less anxious if they perceive God to be caring and a fatherly figure (Niklas 189-192). Gula Gula has emphasized on the importance of confidentiality in the relationship between a pastor and a parishioner as it is prerequisite of trust in this relation. The ethical foundations of confidentiality i.e. personal dignity, benefits and fidelity, ascertain that keeping information of others confidential is a gesture of showing respect for them, allowing them to disclose their full information in order to attain professional help and fostering intimacy in pastoral relationship (Gula 120-121). Gula further highlights that confidentiality is not an absolute obligation and there are certain limitations to it. Firstly, only information shared in sacrament confessions can be deemed as confidential and it is a priests’ moral commitment to Church (Gula 123). Secondly, the confessions made and information shared in non-sacramental settings, is protected by virtue of civil law. Ministers and pastors are required to accept their legal obligation like any other professional personnel i.e. doctor or lawyer and their obligation in terms of client’s confidentiality (Gula 124-127). However, it is important that ministers are aware of legal privilege given to ordained clergy and definition of privileged information in order to avoid any liability or complication related to confidentiality (Gula 127-129). Other than legal protections, there are certain ethical limits to client-pastor confidentiality. Gula asserts that character and virtues like fidelity, justice and prudence allow pastors to maintain trust of parishioner by choosing not to disclose non-sacramental information unless required by law, considering wellbeing of one individual over others in a just and fair manner, and prudently considering moral outcomes of justice over fidelity (130-132). Further ethical limitations are also imposed by professional duties and pastors are required to act in the best interest of parishioners while avoiding conflicts in dual relationships (Gula 133). Also, pastors have additional responsibility of being highly sensitive to the power that they have due to personal information shared by people with them. Gula further directs pastors to avoid violation of professional boundaries pertaining confidentiality by avoiding invasion of policy and gossip. Invasion of privacy is violated if pastors fail to offer parishioner’s personal dignity as they violate parishioner’s right of freedom to determine how much of information they want to share with others. Second possibility can be mentioning specific pastoral experiences in preaching (Gula 135-138). Gossiping can be defined as sharing details about parishioner in informal conversations with others and it can also cross professional boundary. Gula suggests preventive measures to avoid violation of privacy by stating that pastors must always presume to maintain parishioner’s information confidential especially formal content, ensure that offices are suitable for pastoral conversation, share limits of confidentiality with the clients within and outside sacramental scope and civil laws and also avoiding any breach by refraining from gossips and invasion of privacy (Gula 140-141). Nouwen Nouwen has extensively discussed a case study of a parishioner’s facing death and eventually succumbing to it in order to define leadership role that pastors are required to play in such situations. According Nouwen, feelings like impersonal milieu, fear of death and fear of life may often make it difficult for patients to accept reality of death and have hope for better future that would assist them in returning to normal life (55-62). Such patients that demonstrate impersonal milieu and mention the conditions faced by as an external settings not related to or faced by them, a personal response can fulfil the emptiness of current life and anticipated death. In such case, typical pastoral responses like try to remember good experiences or tell me more about what you think of death may not be well understood by a man in need of hope. Therefore, providing a caring figure is the most appropriate pastoral response (Nouwen 63-65). Developing a personal milieu is also important for offering leadership to parishioners and making them aware of pastor’s existence. Pastors need to ignite will to live in their patients by letting them know that even if there is no other person waiting for them; pastors will be there for their fellow men and will support them in future (Nouwen 66-67). Situations with parishioners get even more complicated when patients are more scared of death than coming back to life of no hope. In such scenarios, pastors’ role is to strengthen patient’s trust in their relationship. They need to be made aware of the fact that this relationship between them extends beyond death (Nouwen 68). Pastor’s role as a leader is also governed by principles of Christian leadership. These principles assert that demonstrating personal concern, faith in the value and meaning of life despite facing death and attaching hope to visibly disappointing situation can strengthen effectiveness of pastor’s leadership for a suffering patient (Nouwen 69-76). Christian leadership further admits that denial would only lead to confusion and pain whereas communication can assist in relieving human suffering. Works Cited Niklas, Gerald R. The Making of a Pastoral Person, New York: Alba House, 1996. Print. Nouwen, Henri. The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society, New York: Random House, 1979. Print. Gula, Richard M. Ethics in Pastoral Ministry, New York: Paulist Press, 1996. Print. Read More