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Abstract: Abstract There is growing evidence that the spiritual/religious (S/R) beliefs of war veterans change, even years after the war. Researchers need to explore these changes in different cultures and religions. This study therefore identified S/R changes in Iranian war veterans after three decades of war between Iran and Iraq. The participants were veterans (n = 14), their relatives (n = 5: wives [3] and children [2]), and service providers and decision and policymakers (n = 12) at the Foundation for Martyrs and Veterans’ Affairs (N = 31) in Iran. We collected data with semistructured interviews and used an inductive approach to carry out thematic content analysis (Graneheim et al. in Nurse Education Today, 56, 29–34 2017). Two key themes emerged, namely, questioning S/R values and finding new S/R beliefs and concepts. Qualitative assessment of S/R status in Iranian war veterans should assist service providers in making referrals, evaluations, and interventions, which could include spiritual and culture-based care. PubDate: 2023-12-05
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Abstract: Abstract This exploratory research investigated the work of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the major critical aspects, including healthcare providers’ needs as well as personal, professional, and social changes brought about by the pandemic upon both living and dying. In general, for many healthcare providers, the changes imposed by COVID-19 together with their inadequate training led to an excessive emotional load that caused high levels of stress and, consequently, the risk of burnout. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals and to explore if and how spirituality influenced their experience. We adopted a qualitative methodological design based on interpretative phenomenological analysis. The respondents were 15 healthcare professionals (12 general practitioners, 1 physician, and 2 nurses). This research was carried out in Italy during the first lockdown, that is, between March and September 2020. Following the analysis of participants’ experiences, four main themes were created: (1) critical issues in healthcare, critical incidents, and changes in the attitudes and habits of general practitioners during the pandemic; (2) emotional experiences and primary needs during the emergency; (3) dying during the pandemic and new psychological symptoms in noninfected patients; and (4) resilience and the role of spirituality. Since healthcare professionals, and general practitioners more specifically, were extensively exposed to the dying process and to changes in the end-of-life scenario, the support offered by palliative care is desirable, in terms of both the special skills that palliative physicians can provide and the presence of psychologists as well as through death education. PubDate: 2023-12-02
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Abstract: Abstract This paper explores the person of David (ca. 1010–1097 bce), king of Israel and Judah, especially his personal, familial, and professional undoing through his adultery with Bathsheba and the killing of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. After situating this event in the corpus of Davidic narratives, the paper examines David’s inner world—the David with Bathsheba—by drawing on the contribution of the British object relations theorist, W. R. D. “Ronald” Fairbairn. This paper argues that David relinquished his central ego to the castigations of an active inner critic and to the excitement of his libidinal ego. David, caught between these powerful forces, sabotaged his own reign, violated Bathsheba, became a murderer, and participated in his personal and familial demise. Men and contemporary leaders can learn from David’s undoing. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract Pastoral theological scholarship on moral injury has not yet fully metabolized the liberative trajectory of pastoral theological discourse. To date, the care of those who come home from war remains largely depoliticized. This article argues that the wounds of war are personal and political and that care requires attending to the political dimension. The first section of the article sets the current pastoral theology conversation around moral injury within the historical context of the field around the care of veterans and the depoliticized nature of the clinical literature. The second section of the article argues the liberative trajectory of the field provides not only a basis for a robustly political response but also sets of relevant conceptual categories and care resources for veterans. The third section takes up Ryan LaMothe’s concept of “unconventional warriorism” as a basis for reimagining the political agency of soldiers and veterans. The article concludes by sketching out a broad proposal for the integration of politics and care for veterans. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract This article revisits the need for pastoral care with boys and men in contemporary societies. The author gives special attention to Rubem Alves’s (1977) critique of pastoral care and his call to embrace a political understanding of care. Drawing on Latin American liberation theology and theories of intersectionality, the author encourages ministers and pastoral theologians to carefully consider the matrices of privilege and oppression in men’s lives. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract The human enjoyment of fun is meaningful and yet optional. Fun is meaningful in the sense that fun is a celebration of goodness. Fun is optional in the sense that fun is an activity of responding to goods already realized more than it is an activity expected to produce these goods. Despite its optional character, fun is important within pastoral work, for fun can be employed as a caring practice, celebrating goodness within community. Fun is an activity that is related to, but distinct from, play. Play tends toward the development of self-concept, body, and social roles, whereas fun celebrates these goods. While overindulgence can render fun trivial, fun at the right moment may be an avenue of care and nurture, allowing persons to recognize and celebrate God’s good gifts within a community. Within the Christian tradition, fun, done well, will ideally approach a shared sense of joy. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract When men migrate from Venezuela for survival, they bring with them a forming political self related to local daily encounters with threatening political practices in their country of origin and through transit countries. The political self is formed in interpersonal interactions in the pursuit to sustain life even as trust has been eroded. Increased attention to lived experience within survival migration brings together migration studies, political science, and psychodynamic theories related to violence and trust. Drawing from pastoral care encounters in Ecuador, the article provides a nascent construct on the political self that influences men in terms of their own sense of care, responsibility, and personhood. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract The purpose of this article is to address the psychic tension that arises between theological conviction and personal striving. In particular, it addresses the tension between the author’s possessing both a Lutheran theology of grace and an opposing personal striving toward self-justification, signified in a fitness regimen. Drawing upon William James' (1902/2012) and his concept of the conservative nature of conversion in his Varieties of Religious Experience, the author “experiments” with this urge to self-justify, particularly through fitness as a form of playing, in which he generates new religious ways of being in the process of self-reconciliation. Ultimately, such playing involves experimenting within the tension between “forbidden” impulses and religious ideals. Playing, then, can be particularly of service to men, who often struggle to be their own saviors while desiring a salvation derived from without. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract In this article, I examine Frankenstein and A Christmas Carol to depict pathological male grief and its relation to larger cultural and economic systems. The lenses brought to this endeavor are pastoral and psychoanalytic. By pastoral, I mean, generally speaking, the ways faith and care are manifested in relationships and are, therefore, integral to the reality of grief and mourning. More specifically, male pathological grief reflects distortions of both care and faith. In terms of a psychoanalytic lens, I rely on depictions of psychological defenses, unconscious motivations, and an altered version of Christopher Bollas’s notion of transformational objects to depict and understand the psychopathology of Victor Frankenstein’s and Ebenezer Scrooge’s grief. PubDate: 2023-12-01
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Abstract: Abstract One should not regard the experience of spiritual dryness as an insurmountable obstacle in one’s spiritual journey; on the contrary, such periods can catalyze processes of profound transformation. Empirical research indicates that individuals who successfully navigate these challenges report heightened spiritual clarity, greater spiritual depth, and a greater inclination towards altruistic behavior. Against this backdrop, the present study explored the effects of overcoming spiritual dryness among religious sisters and brothers who had spent several decades living in monastic / congregational communities. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 16 brothers and 14 sisters to elicit their perspectives on perceived changes and behaviors in response to phases of spiritual dryness. Drawing on the criteria of qualitative content analysis, we conducted a rigorous, inductive analysis of the data collected from 30 interviews, yielding four main categories of transformative experiences: (1) deepened spiritual connection (to God), (2) profound inner and outer changes, (3) renewed focus on sacred scriptures, and (4) personal wounding or hardly any (perceptible) changes. Christian faith is fundamentally relational, and as our personality constantly develops, our faith journey unfolds in parallel with our personal growth and development. In this context, experiences of spiritual dryness are not uncommon; indeed, they might be essential in nurturing a deeper relationship with the divine. Our findings underscore the potential for transformative growth and personal maturation that can emerge from navigating spiritual dryness despite the profound heaviness, sadness, irritation, and pain. Such experiences can foster new perspectives on life and new pathways for personal agency. PubDate: 2023-11-27
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Abstract: Abstract Psychological evaluations and testing using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) among other instruments have been used to screen clerical and religious life applicants for decades. While much research has been conducted and published regarding these evaluations, the newer MMPI-3 has not been examined among this population. This study reviewed MMPI-3 results from 18 applicants to seminary and religious life from the Roman Catholic and Episcopal faith traditions to determine if the participants are generally psychological healthy and if they have any consistent elevations in their MMPI-3 testing scores. Additionally, we examined MMPI-3 differences among Catholics versus Episcopal applicants. Our preliminary results using a small sample suggest that applicants to seminary and religious life are generally psychologically healthy but tend to be defensive, presenting themselves in a favorable and virtuous manner. Additionally, Catholics tend to score higher on inconsistent responses but lower on psychoticism than Episcopalians. Further research should use larger and more diverse sample sizes to better understand how the MMPI-3 performs among this population. PubDate: 2023-11-15
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Abstract: Abstract A clear understanding of what constitutes effective religious leadership in the context of faith communities is essential for religious practitioners, religious communities, and educational institutes. Twenty-five years after the latest review study by Nauss, an updated overview is needed to account for new insights, especially regarding the latest developments in leadership research and the changing religious landscape. A scoping review was conducted in four databases from 1997 to 2022 to examine the academic literature. The search identified 64 unique references that researched effective religious leadership using 27 different effectiveness criteria. These criteria were categorized based on their target of evaluation: (1) the religious leader, (2) followers/members, and (3) the congregation. Although most references assessed leadership effectiveness by evaluating the religious leader, the most used effectiveness criterion was ‘attendance or numerical growth.’ Over the last 25 years, the criteria for religious leadership effectiveness have become more diverse, and a growing number of references combine criteria from multiple targets to evaluate effectiveness. However, the focus on Christian leadership remains prevalent in the academic literature. The present overview is intended as a starting point for future research as it identifies the current trends and existing knowledge gaps. The study’s findings also invite religious practitioners and congregations to reflect on their methods of assessing leadership effectiveness. PubDate: 2023-11-15
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Abstract: Abstract This article examines Jack London’s novel Call of the Wild, relying on Giorgio Agamben’s notions of the ontological rift and inoperativity, as well as pastoral notions of care and faith and several psychoanalytic concepts. The argument, in brief, is that London’s story portrays the consequences of the ontological rift between human beings and nature as well as the possibility of repair through acts of care that render the apparatuses of the ontological rift inoperative. This takes on particular importance considering the current climate emergency and the categorical imperative to care for other species and the earth. I begin by depicting the context of the story and how it can be seen in terms of both Agamben’s notion of the ontological rift and pastoral-psychoanalytic concepts. This sets the stage for describing John Thornton’s care for Buck and how this care makes inoperative Western civilization’s apparatuses that produce and maintain the ontological rift. I end with several brief implications of this perspective regarding (Western) men’s relationship to other species and the earth. PubDate: 2023-11-04
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Abstract: Abstract Research grounded in religious studies and attachment theory demonstrates links between experiencing and resolving faith crises with a perceived break and restoration of a relationship with God. Experiences of faith crises are unique, however, and little research has explored the diverse ways in which faith can be restored—particularly from a messaging perspective. The present study used Q methodology to capture the varied and nuanced messages that resonated with Christian respondents who had experienced and resolved a faith crisis. The Q-sort consisted of 37 statements that participants sorted on a nine-category continuum. Brief, semistructured qualitative interviews followed the Q-sort. The results identified four distinct factors that conveyed unique messages about an individual’s return to religion and/or spirituality after experiencing a crisis of faith: (1) resilient God Seekers, (2) self-compassionates, (3) marathon runners, and (4) scripture seekers. Thus, the present study suggests that religious organizations and practitioners should refrain from using a generalized approach in their communication with members who struggle with faith as the participants gravitated toward separate, distinct, and unique messaging. PubDate: 2023-10-27
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Abstract: Abstract This paper delves into Erik H. Erikson’s psychohistorical analysis of Martin Luther, thereby highlighting the existential import of Luther’s identity crisis in the formation of his religious identity as a homo religiosus. Within this framework, the intricate interrelationship between psychoanalysis and religion is expounded on by centering on Erikson’s psychosocial approach to religion. Through a constructive reevaluation of Erikson’s seminal work, Young Man Luther, three major events in Luther’s adolescence that influenced the formation of Luther’s religious identity are examined. This paper especially zeros in on Luther’s identity crisis stemming from his disconnection from a “threefold fatherhood” and its resolution through his connection to an alternative fatherhood. Lastly, the applicability of Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory is evaluated in light of decolonization and its intercultural relevance today. PubDate: 2023-10-16
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Abstract: Abstract This article examines the adaptation of theory and practices from narrative therapy for pastoral and spiritual care, here referred to as narrative spiritual care. Beginning with a brief rationale for the use of narrative approaches in pastoral and spiritual care, the author then describes a recent development among some narrative therapy practitioners that attends to affect in narrative conversations. Drawing upon studies in neuroscience and physiology, practitioners such as Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin and Jeffrey Zimmerman incorporate mindfulness practices and body-based questions into their narrative therapy conversations. This “affective turn” is contested in the field of narrative therapy. The author examines the debate and then goes on to explore the value of the affective turn in the practice of narrative spiritual care. PubDate: 2023-10-11
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Abstract: Abstract The Jesuit Examen is a form of prayerful reflection on daily experiences that was introduced five centuries ago by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (better known as the Jesuits). The Examen may be utilized by diverse populations when adapted and secularized, which can be completed by substituting the language of God in the original Examen for more inclusive terms such as “love.” Although five centuries old, the 10–15-min daily reflective practice has not been subject to empirical research. Furthermore, research has not explored the effects of the Examen on psychological health and well-being in a workplace setting. Other religious practices, including mindfulness and yoga, are important and religiously derived but now secularized interventions that can be utilized in multiple work and other settings. The present pilot study focused on the potential effectiveness of using a secularized version of the Examen in the workplace to determine whether this practice can produce psychological and well-being health benefits, such as stress reduction and improvement in one’s satisfaction with life. PubDate: 2023-10-11
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Abstract: Abstract COVID-19 ushered in a period of uncertainty and insecurity. It has affected the mental well-being of all, but certain groups are more vulnerable, including adolescents. Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood in which the mental domain is still developing. The pandemic has had an adverse effect on the mental well-being of adolescents. Their normal routines are severely affected by the pandemic and related restrictions. There is a need for a coping mechanism or resources to empower this group of people. Spirituality has salubrious effect on all dimensions of health. The concept of spirituality is closely related to yoga and positive psychology. The article describes the similarities between yoga and positive psychology. It further posits that spirituality is closely related to yoga and positive psychology. The article also argues that both yoga and positive psychology could be useful in improving the mental dimension of health in adolescents in the COVID-19 era. A thorough study of the literature helped the authors to conclude that yoga and positive psychology definitely enhance mental well-being. The tenets of yoga and positive psychology can be incorporated into the daily regimen of children and adolescents to increase their resilience and mental strength. Further studies with robust study designs could ascertain the benefits of such measures. PubDate: 2023-10-01
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Abstract: Abstract This article presents an analysis of the current challenges to the identity of the Christian pilgrim in the face of the dynamic growth of religious tourism. The semantic inflation that results in every wanderer being described as a pilgrim implies a new configuration of pastoral care, especially in terms of responding to the perceived “consumerism of the sacred.” In the context of Zygmunt Bauman’s observations concerning the transformation of the pilgrim into the tourist, the article proposes a reverse type of reflection, that is, how the tourist can become a pilgrim in the reality of modern-day pilgrimage routes. The Camino de Santiago was chosen as the point of reference, and current pastoral activities – both institutional and individual – were analyzed. PubDate: 2023-08-24 DOI: 10.1007/s11089-023-01099-3
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
