Neil Pembroke

Appropriate Spiritual Care by Physicians: A Theological Perspective

It is argued that when spiritual care by physicians is linked to the empirical research indicating the salutary effect on health of religious beliefs and practices an unintended degradation of religion is involved. It is contended that it is much more desirable to see support for the patient’s spirituality as part of holistic care. A proposal for appropriate spiritual care by physicians is offered.

Empathy, Emotion, and Ekstasis in the Patient Physician Relationship

The place of clinical empathy in humanizing the medical encounter is discussed. Clinical empathy is viewed as having both cognitive and affective elements. It is argued that genuine empathy involves recognizing what the suffering of the patient feels like. This reaching out to the patient is connected with the Christian theological concept of ekstasis. Ekstasis has as its goal the establishment of communion. It is further argued that ekstasis and communion are the fundamental moments in clinical empathy.

Human dimension in medical care: insights from Buber and Marcel.

Martin Bubers concept of inclusion and Gabriel Marcels notion of availability are used to cast new light on the human dimension in medical care. Bubers notion of inclusion indicates that clinical empathy should involve both cognitive and affective elements. It is argued that empathy is more than simply labeling a feeling state. Including oneself in the inner reality of the patient involves recognizing what her suffering feels like. Marcels work on availability is used to point out how crucially important it is for the clinician to open herself to the suffering of the patient if she is to offer genuinely compassionate care. Availability requires a fundamental openness to the other that Marcel refers to as “in-cohesion” or porosity. This is identified as an essential quality in the caring clinician. Marcels approach to overcoming a lack of compassion is also discussed.

Partnership in the Workplace: Covenant and Management-Labour Relations

Abstract This article represents the standpoint that the relationship between employers and employees has to be characterized by the term “partnership”. A genuine partnership is based on trust. On the other hand, trust results from constructive dialogue. Concerning the issue of employment, that kind of dialogue can only take place if two conditions are fulfilled: firstly both parties have to commit themselves to listen to each other in a sympathetic way. Secondly both parties have to keep their promises. The author argues that the ideals needed for such a relationship can be found in the theology of covenant. Zusammenfassung In diesem Artikel wird der Standpunkt vertreten, dass die Beziehung zwischen Unternehmern und Angestellten durch den Begriff der „Partnerschaft“ zu definieren ist. Eine ehrliche Partnerschaft beruht auf Vertrauen. Vertrauen wiederum entsteht durch konstruktiven Dialog. Ein solcher Dialog kann in der Beschäftigungssphäre nur dann stattfinden, wenn zwei Bedingungen erfüllt sind: Die erste besteht darin, dass beide Parteien sich zu einem einfühlsamen Zuhören verpflichten müssen. Die zweite besteht darin, dass die Parteien ihren Zusagen treu sind. Der Autor argumentiert, dass die Ideale für diese Beziehung in der Bundestheologie zu finden sind.

Kierkegaard as a paradoxical therapist

The essential problem that Soren Kierkegaard is concerned with in his authorship is that of becoming a Christian. It is argued that Kierkegaards authorial strategy reflects the principles of paradoxical psychotherapy. These principles indicate that both the psychological problem and its solution involve an ironic process. In the Kierkegaardian frame of reference, the situation of the immature self is paradoxical, and so is the pathway to full selfhood. The philistine and the aesthete attempt to secure autonomy and personal freedom through an external orientation. But the way to the self is inwards. Consequently, these personalities get caught in an ironic process. The further they push outwards, the further they move away from the locus of genuine selfhood and freedom. This immature form of life can only lead to a loss of self and the associated experience of despair. Paradoxically, Kierkegaard advocates the choice of despair as the way to find oneself in God.

Equal Regard, Just Love, and Family Fairness: The Theories in Practice

Abstract Theoretical discussions by practical theologians of mutuality and justice-love in marriage and family life provide important insights and offer helpful guidance for Christians and others seeking to grow in love in their marriage and family life. However, it is contended that the question of the practical utility of some of the leading works has not been sufficiently explored. In order to make a contribution to this task, two case studies involving issues of mutuality and fairness are analyzed using the principles that leading theorists develop. It is concluded that incorporating a high level of specificity and concreteness into a theoretical model is required to assist married persons in dealing appropriately with everyday dilemmas and choices as they attempt to structure their family life around the principles of mutuality and justice-love.

Trinity, polyphony and pastoral relationships.

The author explores the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to shed light on the nature of the pastoral ministry. Using the trinitarian term, “polyphony” (David Cunningham) for this purpose, he explicates unity and difference as key polyphonic categories in the doctrine of the Trinity. The author suggests that the polyphonic notes sounded by pastoral caregivers are toughness and tenderness, woundedness and health, wisdom and folly, and communion, nearness and distance.

Toward A Structured, Tri-Domain Model Of Companioning In Christian Formation By Pastoral Agents In A Congregational Setting: A Preliminary Report On An International Research Project:

A preliminary report is presented by an international project team working on developing a model for a structured and holistic approach to companioning parishioners in the journey of formation in the Christian life. A holistic model involves working in three domains: positive psychology, spirituality, and personal and social ethics. Structure is provided by utilizing four self-assessment instruments to inform the work the pastor and the parishioner do together.

Artistry in Jesus’ parables and in preaching on them

ABSTRACT The artistry in Jesus’ parabolic teaching is approached via a Heideggerian perspective. Reference is made to the rift that exists in parabolic teaching between earth (represented by words) and world (the Kingdom of God). Jesus poetically spins a world ordered by God’s will and purpose out of everyday things and scenarios. Furthermore, Jesus employs the techniques of indirection and open-endedness. He shows rather than tells. In this way, Jesus stimulates, teases, provokes his listeners to think for themselves. Taking a cue from his teaching style, an artistic/poetic approach is offered as an alternative to the expository/didactic method advocated in two recent and popular works on preaching on the parables.

Two spiritualities of self-emptying: Weil’s ‘Decreation’ and Merton’s Emptying Out the False Self

Simone Weil and Thomas Merton make unique contributions to our understanding of self-emptying. Weil uses the term ‘decreation’ to describe the process. It is argued that Weil’s use of expressions such as ‘the destruction of the «I»’ should be read metaphorically rather than literally. Thomas Merton constructs his spirituality of self-emptying around the notions of the true and the false self. When the false self is emptied out, a person’s ownmost self-in-God is allowed to assume its rightful place. It is contended, following Merton, that a proper self-love, a love of our ‘nothingness’, is essential if we are to know inner peace and freedom and to love God and others in a wholesome way.