"So, What are You Doing Here?" The Role of the Minister of the Gospel in Hospital Visitation or a Theological Cure for the Crisis in Evangelical Pastoral Care

Academic Paper from the year 2003 in the subject Theology - Practical Theology, , language: English, abstract: This peer-reviewed journal article is revised from an academic paper delivered by the author to the 2001 Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The paper seeks to identify problems in pastoral visitation and pastoral care that have resulted from an overuse or over-reliance on psycho-therapeutic techniques rather than sacramental or theological resources most associated with clergy. The paper concludes that assuming "false faces" in pastoral care will not only diminish the intended spiritual care of the patient, but effectively and negatively impact the clergyman's place "at the table" with healthcare professionals.