Religious Care for Communities in Crisis

Catalog description

Chaplaincy and pastoral care occur in a variety of settings, and the need for support from religious leaders, chaplains and specialized professionals becomes acute in times of crisis. In critical incidents, whether due to human actions or natural phenomena, injury, destruction, and/or death can occur, and chaplains may be called upon for pastoral care in such contexts of crisis intervention. This course explores how the practices of pastoral care can be applied within the framework of crisis intervention principles, and involves case studies of dramatic and traumatic scenarios, from natural disasters, active shooter situations, terrorism, and community-wide events. Students will become familiar with some crisis intervention protocols, explore how they might play a role on a response team, and review pastoral care practices to help manage stress responses of affected individuals and their families.