Pastoral Considerations for a Pandemic

“Providing pastoral leadership in a pandemic” doesn’t appear in the handbooks of our seminaries and colleges.

The collective trauma of COVID-19 means we are faced with a pastoral challenge for which few of us have rehearsed. However, the foundations for responding appropriately were present as we learned that all pastoral leadership takes place in a multi-layered context which evolves and changes over time. Building on this foundation, I wish to explore the addressing of collective trauma.

First, I describe a potential pathway of healing for faith communities, through and beyond the pandemic. I then explore five principles of care named by a panel of experts in addressing trauma, for their applicability within the church setting during the active phase of the pandemic. Finally, I briefly touch on some key points regarding two further phases of the healing pathway.