The consumers of health care (patients) want their religious and spiritual needs to be addressed within the South African Government Hospitals’ (SAGH) settings. Similarly, the providers of health care (doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff in the multi-disciplinary health care teams) are not religious and spiritual experts to respond to these needs in the health care settings. Therefore, this challenge can be resolved by the Department of Health (DoH) by recognising and embracing the health care chaplaincy. On the same vein, the DoH must employ a holistic and patient-centred medical model in its clinical approach to care. This will translate into the patients’ religious and spiritual needs being provided by the religious and spiritual experts in the SAGH settings. This approach ensures that these services are not counter-productive to the medical approach. The other challenge is lack of trained and licenced providers of religious and spiritual care to practice in the clinical setting by employing the methods which are supported by scientific evidence. The purpose of this research is to investigate a need for the possible establishment of chaplaincy in South African Government Hospitals for holistic approach to care which includes the patients’ religious and spiritual dimensions of being, with a view to develop a chaplaincy model that is responsive to the patients’ religious and spiritual needs. The DoH is expected to provide a well-balanced, holistic and patient-centred health care to all the SA citizenry which resonates with the Constitution of the RSA (1996), the NPRC, the WHO (2010) principles, and global health care norms, standards and principles on addressing the patients’ religious and spiritual needs through the practice of the professional health care chaplaincy. The study employed a qualitative research designs of ethnography (participant observation), to gather first-hand information (data) at the research field, that helps to describe how the religious and spiritual needs are addressed in the SAGH settings; phenomenological approach, to gather information (data) that describe the meaning of the lived experiences of the caregivers and patients in the health care settings; and grounded theory, by analysing and interpreting data from research interviews, in order to explore theory of health care chaplaincy in the SAGH settings with a view to understand its phenomenon. The study followed Osmer’s four task of Practical Theological Interpretation (PTI) as a framework and plan to guide the process of the study, and on how to interpret and respond to the challenges of this research project. The researcher was a participant observer at the PHC research field, purposively sampled and conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 research participants at the PHC research field who consented. The researcher employed a computer spreadsheet to capture, code, analyse and interpret data from the research interviews. The researcher applied a collective social scientists’ approaches from Babbie (et al.), Corbin and Strauss, Flick (et al.), Neuman, Osmer, and Ritchie (et al.). The researcher followed the Limpopo Provincial Department of Health’s (LPDoH) approval letter, applied the ethical principles as prescribed by the University of Pretoria’s Research Ethical Committee (REC) in tandem with the World Medical Association Declaration (WMA) of Helsinki (2013), and the PHC protocol from the DoH and Social Development (SD)/ abbreviation DoHSD, during the entire course of this project. The findings of this research show that there is a need for the establishment of chaplaincy in South African Government Hospitals, and that the DoH need to review its health policy and the medical model with a view to embrace a professional chaplaincy, as experts to respond and address the patients’ religious and spiritual dimensions of being in the clinical health care settings, as member of a multi-disciplinary health care team. The findings provide recommendations towards addressing the patients’ religious and spiritual needs to ensure that the SAGH provides the holistic-patient-centred needs. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Practical Theology / PhD / Unrestricted

The research explores the themes of corporate chaplaincy, workplace spirituality and employee wellness, and their relationship to each other. The question is asked if the corporate chaplain has a contribution to make through the multi-disciplinary helping team in achieving and maintaining employee wellness. The method of study is postfoundational and relies upon three stages of research: an acknowledgement of the local context through the dialogue with twelve co-researchers; a process of transversality that includes a discussion with nine interdisciplinary respondents and traditions of interpretation; and a response that explores a preferred alternative reality for, and beyond, the local context. The stage of acknowledgement reveals several emerging themes that highlight the value of a workplace spirituality in employee wellness, but in which spirituality is an identified gap in wellness progs. The discussion explores the value of spirituality in wellness and the obstacles in the development of workplace spirituality and the employ of corporate chaplains. The response requires a revisiting the title of "corporate chaplaincy" noting the unhelpful assumptions that the title makes. The response includes a definition of workplace spirituality that communicates the value of a workplace spirituality and the workplace spiritual helper to help overcome the obstacles of religious plurality, secularism, and an unhelpful religiosity. The response of affirming spirituality in achieving and maintaining wellness for the employee and the corporate through the corporate chaplain requires the establishment of a registered professional body. In recognising the present difficulty in appointing corporate chaplains, alternative forms of developing workplace spirituality are suggested. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Practical Theology / PhD / Unrestricted

The university church of Sweden is a religious organization that is active on 30 campuses towards higher education in the nation. The main objective of the or- ganization, which works on an ecumenical level, is to provide support for the staff and students at the universities and by doing so arrange activities and provide a listening ear towards the targeted group. The objective of the study is to provide knowledge about the organization from the perspective of inner secularization from Karin Johannessons point of view through the anthology inomkyrklig seku- larisering (2018) by studying the organizations physical activities. The method is based on a quantitative content analysis that covers approximately 1400 activities in 10 cities provided by the university church from Malmö in the south to Luleå in the north of Sweden. The goal is also to cover a time perspective of over 2.5 years to give the study a broad perspective on the activities. By doing so the study also covers what nature the activities have that is offered and how they differ from each other when it comes to a comparison, campus to campus. The result shows a complex image where approximately 2/3 of the activities provided is secular and the other third Christian in nature according through the lens of the theoretical framework. The organization differs a lot from city to city when it comes to most aspects regarding Christian and secular approaches. It also differs in activity level on Facebook and what kind of priorities the organization tend to have towards the student and staff population on each of the Universities.

Effective spiritual care is difficult to define and evaluate objectively. As chaplains and Religious Support Teams endeavor to provide care in the highly mission-focused and objective-driven context of the United States military, this difficulty becomes uniquely problematic. The author demonstrates this reality using an exemplar Air Force Reserve chapel team as a case study. Blending transformational leadership, situational leadership, and John Kotter’s change model, the author constructs a vision for change culminating in a base level Operating Instruction that offers specific objectives, measurable tasks, and qualification metrics. Alongside this instruction, he crafts an Implementation Strategy designed to strategically inspire and motivate teams toward change. In doing so, he provides a path forward to allow chaplains to not only evaluate ministry effectiveness but also enhance communication with leaders at the base level and up into the highest levels of the Department of Defense.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:48:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Coelho Almeida.pdf: 890967 bytes, checksum: 360534b45b36558c3ea5eb864a6c3209 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-02-02 / The present research seeks to evaluate the work of the military chaplain. The focus is on analyzing his influence and the validity of his task within a military institution. Taking as a starting point historical, theological, technical and practical observation, the research seeks to confirm the hypothesis that the role of chaplaincy has been, is today, and will always be, of great relevancy to the armed forces: chaplaincy services, in terms of influence, validity and import within a military organization parallels the role played by spirituality and religion in all of human life. The path covered for the development of these observations begins with the historical development of military chaplaincy, from its beginnings to its regular establishment and pervasive presence nowadays. Next, it covers the religious aspect, analyzing, on one hand, the human being as imbued with spirituality and, therefore, needing contact with the sacred, and on the other hand, the military environment as that of an encompassing institution whose very conception points inexorably to the need of a helping intervention in terms of the resources offered by religious beliefs. Finally, the research is complemented by drawing on the professional experience of its author as an evangelical chaplain in the Air Force. The military profession of the chaplain is seen in distinction from general militarism and from regular religious work, mindful of the intersection between both roles and, thus, establishing a concept of military chaplaincy. / Esta pesquisa procura avaliar o trabalho de um capelão militar. O foco central é analisar sua influência e a validade de seu trabalho dentro de uma Organização Militar. A partir de constatações históricas, teológicas, técnicas e práticas, no transcurso do trabalho procura-se comprovar a hipótese de que a capelania sempre foi, é nos dias atuais, e sempre será de extrema relevância para as Forças Armadas. O serviço de capelania em nível de influência, validade e importância está para uma Organização Militar tal qual a espiritualidade e a religião estão para o ser humano. O caminho percorrido nas constatações obtidas passa primeiramente por uma via histórica desde os primórdios até sua regularização e prática expansiva nos dias atuais. Depois, passa pela questão religiosa. Analisa, por um lado, a pessoa humana, sendo esta dotada de espiritualidade e, portanto, necessitada do encontro com o sagrado; e por outro lado, analisando o ambiente militar como uma instituição total, cujo conceito aponta inexoravelmente para uma intervenção de ajuda no que tange aos recursos oferecidos pelas crenças religiosas. Por fim, este caminho é trilhado em meio á prática profissional do autor, como capelão evangélico da Aeronáutica. A profissão militar de um capelão é abordada separadamente quanto ao militarismo e ao trabalho religioso, não deixando de lado a intersecção dos dois, formando assim um conceito de capelania militar.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:48:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Divino Gomes da Silva.pdf: 534023 bytes, checksum: decd6509f9f251e803c5af1c9b12f19c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-25 / This research evaluates the work of the Hospital Chaplaincy Illness Therapy. And the main focus is to analyze the influence and validity of the work of a chaplain in a hospital. In this research we make checks historical, theological, and pragmatic, and work development is sought to prove the hypothesis that the chaplaincy has always been, always will be relevant today in the context Hospital. The Chaplaincy service in scope, validity and importance is for a hospital as well as spirituality and religion is for humans. The path crosses the findings essentially a historical road from its genesis to its rules and extensive practice today. Does the person of God and the human person and in this regard God and Man, one sees that this needs to encounter with the sacred, and this need is analyzed within the hospital environment and this we find the Chaplaincy, which is called: Hospital Chaplaincy, from being considered a legal institution. The chaplaincy in a hospital is largely a social tool, as had reached the sick, their families and staff throughout the hospital. Finally, the path taken by this researcher is part of their professional practice as pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil. / Esta pesquisa procura avaliar o trabalho da Capelania Hospitalar na Terapia da Enfermidade. E o foco central é analisar a influência e a validade do trabalho de um Capelão dentro de um Hospital. Nesta pesquisa vamos fazer verificações históricas, teológicas e, pragmáticas e, no desenvolvimento do trabalho se procura comprovar a hipótese de que a capelania sempre foi, é sempre será relevante nos dias atuais no contexto Hospitalar. O serviço de Capelania em extensão, validade e importância está para uma Organização Hospitalar assim como a espiritualidade e a religião está para o ser humano. O caminho percorrido nas verificações atravessa essencialmente por uma via histórica desde sua gênese até sua regulamentação e prática extensiva na atualidade. Considera a pessoa de Deus, e da pessoa humana, e nesta consideração Deus e Homem, vê-se que este tem necessidade de encontro com o sagrado; e nesta necessidade analisa-se o ambiente hospitalar e dentro deste vamos encontrar a Capelania, a qual é denominada: Capelania Hospitalar, passando a ser considerada uma Instituição Jurídica. A capelania dentro de um hospital será uma ferramenta amplamente social, pois alcançara os enfermos; seus familiares e todo staff hospitalar. Finalmente, o caminho trilhado por este pesquisador faz parte de sua prática profissional como pastor da Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil.

Healthcare providers may impede the delivery of spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families by healthcare professional chaplains if they misunderstand how to effectively use chaplains, who often prefer to be engaged sooner than they are. This issue prevents highly trained, board-certified professional chaplains from providing services, thereby impacting the quality of patient care. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine, through the lived experiences of professional chaplains, the extent to which chaplains feel that others perceive them as valued members of an interdisciplinary team (IDT), as well as to determine how team inclusion may impact chaplains' physical and emotional well-being. An adaptation of the antecedents and outcomes of inclusion theoretical framework was used. Research questions were developed to elicit to what extent professional chaplains perceived that they were valued members of IDTs and what impact inclusion had on their well-being A semistructured interview protocol with open-ended questions was used with 9 board-certified professional chaplains in the northeastern region of the United States.. Data were analyzed through coding and comparison of significant responses into units of meaning to reflect the phenomenon of participants' experiences. Key findings revealed that inclusion did have an impact on the well-being of chaplains, and its impact was perceived as positive. This study may contribute to positive social change by helping to initiate training and education programs for healthcare organizations that work with and employ professional chaplains to effectively integrate chaplains into IDTs, ensuring more timely evaluation and care planning for patients and their families to achieve greater wholeness and healing.

Religion in the Ranks offers insights into the role of religion in the modern bureaucratic institution of the Canadian Forces and the nature of religious identity among its personnel. This study of religion in a modern Canadian institution relies first on historical sociological analysis to identify the role that religion has traditionally played in the CF both in the institution of the chaplaincy and in the lives of individuals. However, given the broader social developments of the past century that have seen the authority of religious institutions wane in the face of individualism and secularization, this study goes further to examine the role religion plays in the lives of personnel in the Canadian Forces today. While traditionally religion in Canada was governed by religious authorities and institutions it now includes more diffuse, privatized, subjectivated and individualized forms that can only be studied by asking individuals about their beliefs. Consequently, this study also relies on field research in the form of in-depth interviews with both chaplains (those who represent traditional religious institutions) and personnel who may or may not affiliate with a religious tradition. This research provides three insights of particular relevance to understanding religion in late modernity. First, it demonstrates that religion persists in an individualized, subjectivated and diffuse state in the military (as it does in Canadian society) and even people who belong to traditional religious communities have to wrestle with the new social conditions that give rise to this new form of religious identity. Modern conditions make the rise of individualism and subjectivation of religion virtually inescapable, since even those who remain in traditional and authoritarian religious communities must now choose to do so. Second, it indicates a new religious pluralism stemming from individual interpretations of belief that produce new ways of being religious (e.g., Pagans) in addition to the pluralism that comes from integrating immigrants from minority religious traditions (e.g., Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims, etc). Third, it points to the continuing relevance of the chaplaincy, an institution inherited from Canada’s Christian past that has been able, more or less successfully, to adapt to these new conditions. These three observations demonstrate that despite important changes in the structure and culture of religious identity and practice, religion persists in this putatively secular social institution. Despite the obvious signs of secularization, my interviews showed that this new form of individualistic and subjective forms of religion served a variety of purposes for CF personnel. The personal religious beliefs of the people I interviewed offered them opportunities to examine the uncertain or unknowable aspects of life and death, morality and ethics, good and evil, as well as one’s purpose for existing. Moreover, for several of the participants in this study, religion played a mediating role between the alienating forces of modernity that effected people working in large bureaucratic modern institutions. This study also revealed the depth and breadth of the new religious pluralism that has marked Canadian society since the 1960s. This pluralism has several sources. First, Canadians raised in the Christian tradition have, thanks to the forces of individualism and subjectivation discussed above, adopted a variety of non-conformist religious perspectives, such as Wicca, neo-paganism, and other new religious movements as well as that diffuse form of religious identity called “spiritual but not religious.” Second, the rise of traditional Aboriginal spirituality among Aboriginal personnel has meant a “return” or conversion to Aboriginal spirituality for many CF personnel. Finally, immigration has resulted in an increase in religious diversity and the CF has had to deal with an increase in the numbers of its members who identify themselves as Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists or members of the world’s various religious traditions. Whereas traditional Christian worldviews prevailed in earlier times, religion in Canada today is marked by pluralism, individualism and rapid change. Finally, my study found that despite the challenges posed by secularization, the transformation of religious identity and belonging, and the new religious pluralism, CF personnel remained loyal to the military chaplaincy. The transformation of the chaplaincy to these new conditions illustrates the adaptability of religious institutions in the face of modern influences. Despite requirements to fit their religious vocations into a system based on reason, bureaucracy, and the requirement for “acceptable” credentials, chaplains have been able to retain and even expand their place within the military. They have done this by adapting to aspects of military society while remaining outside the formal structures that govern other military personnel. Moreover, they have modified their role to accommodate new religious realities by taking on duties such as pastoral care and “generic” ministry to all military members regardless of their faith tradition. While senior military officials see the chaplains’ presence as a means to ensuring “operational effectiveness” by keeping personnel fit for and effective in their duties, chaplains understand their role as being essential to helping personnel to order their experiences, providing comfort in the face of suffering, loneliness and fear, as well as interpreting some of the violence they see in their role. Furthermore, the transformation of the chaplaincy into a multifaith institution over the last fifty years has been remarkable. This transition has not been without its contradictions, conflicts and difficulties. While much work remains to be done, the chaplaincy has adapted to the challenges of pluralism with some degree of success. The evidence of the continuing significance of religion for individuals employed by a highly-bureaucratic organization such as the military indicates the continuing significance religion can have in a secular Canadian institution. It is a clear indication that despite secularizing trends that have resulted in the privatization and subjectivization of religion, religion persists in its significance, albeit in new forms, for many people. Further, indications that people turn to religious resources in times of hardship and stress suggests that religion and religious resources may retain their significance as a source of comfort and consolation despite a resistance to traditional organized forms of religion. Religion and religious diversity in Canadian society, despite their changing forms, will continue to be important social and cultural reference points for present and future generations.

Religion in the Ranks offers insights into the role of religion in the modern bureaucratic institution of the Canadian Forces and the nature of religious identity among its personnel. This study of religion in a modern Canadian institution relies first on historical sociological analysis to identify the role that religion has traditionally played in the CF both in the institution of the chaplaincy and in the lives of individuals. However, given the broader social developments of the past century that have seen the authority of religious institutions wane in the face of individualism and secularization, this study goes further to examine the role religion plays in the lives of personnel in the Canadian Forces today. While traditionally religion in Canada was governed by religious authorities and institutions it now includes more diffuse, privatized, subjectivated and individualized forms that can only be studied by asking individuals about their beliefs. Consequently, this study also relies on field research in the form of in-depth interviews with both chaplains (those who represent traditional religious institutions) and personnel who may or may not affiliate with a religious tradition. This research provides three insights of particular relevance to understanding religion in late modernity. First, it demonstrates that religion persists in an individualized, subjectivated and diffuse state in the military (as it does in Canadian society) and even people who belong to traditional religious communities have to wrestle with the new social conditions that give rise to this new form of religious identity. Modern conditions make the rise of individualism and subjectivation of religion virtually inescapable, since even those who remain in traditional and authoritarian religious communities must now choose to do so. Second, it indicates a new religious pluralism stemming from individual interpretations of belief that produce new ways of being religious (e.g., Pagans) in addition to the pluralism that comes from integrating immigrants from minority religious traditions (e.g., Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims, etc). Third, it points to the continuing relevance of the chaplaincy, an institution inherited from Canada’s Christian past that has been able, more or less successfully, to adapt to these new conditions. These three observations demonstrate that despite important changes in the structure and culture of religious identity and practice, religion persists in this putatively secular social institution. Despite the obvious signs of secularization, my interviews showed that this new form of individualistic and subjective forms of religion served a variety of purposes for CF personnel. The personal religious beliefs of the people I interviewed offered them opportunities to examine the uncertain or unknowable aspects of life and death, morality and ethics, good and evil, as well as one’s purpose for existing. Moreover, for several of the participants in this study, religion played a mediating role between the alienating forces of modernity that effected people working in large bureaucratic modern institutions. This study also revealed the depth and breadth of the new religious pluralism that has marked Canadian society since the 1960s. This pluralism has several sources. First, Canadians raised in the Christian tradition have, thanks to the forces of individualism and subjectivation discussed above, adopted a variety of non-conformist religious perspectives, such as Wicca, neo-paganism, and other new religious movements as well as that diffuse form of religious identity called “spiritual but not religious.” Second, the rise of traditional Aboriginal spirituality among Aboriginal personnel has meant a “return” or conversion to Aboriginal spirituality for many CF personnel. Finally, immigration has resulted in an increase in religious diversity and the CF has had to deal with an increase in the numbers of its members who identify themselves as Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists or members of the world’s various religious traditions. Whereas traditional Christian worldviews prevailed in earlier times, religion in Canada today is marked by pluralism, individualism and rapid change. Finally, my study found that despite the challenges posed by secularization, the transformation of religious identity and belonging, and the new religious pluralism, CF personnel remained loyal to the military chaplaincy. The transformation of the chaplaincy to these new conditions illustrates the adaptability of religious institutions in the face of modern influences. Despite requirements to fit their religious vocations into a system based on reason, bureaucracy, and the requirement for “acceptable” credentials, chaplains have been able to retain and even expand their place within the military. They have done this by adapting to aspects of military society while remaining outside the formal structures that govern other military personnel. Moreover, they have modified their role to accommodate new religious realities by taking on duties such as pastoral care and “generic” ministry to all military members regardless of their faith tradition. While senior military officials see the chaplains’ presence as a means to ensuring “operational effectiveness” by keeping personnel fit for and effective in their duties, chaplains understand their role as being essential to helping personnel to order their experiences, providing comfort in the face of suffering, loneliness and fear, as well as interpreting some of the violence they see in their role. Furthermore, the transformation of the chaplaincy into a multifaith institution over the last fifty years has been remarkable. This transition has not been without its contradictions, conflicts and difficulties. While much work remains to be done, the chaplaincy has adapted to the challenges of pluralism with some degree of success. The evidence of the continuing significance of religion for individuals employed by a highly-bureaucratic organization such as the military indicates the continuing significance religion can have in a secular Canadian institution. It is a clear indication that despite secularizing trends that have resulted in the privatization and subjectivization of religion, religion persists in its significance, albeit in new forms, for many people. Further, indications that people turn to religious resources in times of hardship and stress suggests that religion and religious resources may retain their significance as a source of comfort and consolation despite a resistance to traditional organized forms of religion. Religion and religious diversity in Canadian society, despite their changing forms, will continue to be important social and cultural reference points for present and future generations.