Abstract
“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.
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.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 28-34 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | stimulus: new zealand journal of christian thought and practice |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2020 |
Keywords
- pastoral care
- pandemic
- crisis
- healing