Introduction to Spiritual Care

Catalog description

The discipline of professional spiritual care is both a quality of being in the world and a collection of techniques and skills. Spiritual care is neither science nor art, but a craft that combines theoretical, technical, theological, spiritual and philosophical principles with inner intuition and guidance. This course will offer an introduction to professional spiritual care through a consideration of current theories and practices that inform the field. Through engaging case review, contemplative practice, classic and contemporary conceptions of spirituality, and clinical approaches to chaplaincy in diverse contexts, students will develop a representation of professional spiritual caregiving as a vocation of spiritual leadership that is congruent with their values, beliefs and ethical commitments. Prerequisite: REL602.