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January 16, 2009
Jesus of Nazareth: The Peasant from Galilee as Model for Chaplaincy by Dr. J.D. Hester
One of the most significant qualities of a clinically trained chaplain is the self-awareness that the person of the chaplain is a work in progress. Thus, it is possible that both the chaplain and patient can be transformed through the encounter with each other. In this way the chaplain is not the one with all the answers and is, therefore, open to learning from the patient.
Dr. James Hester asserts in his paper (Download file), Jesus of Nazareth: The Peasant from Galilee as Model for Chaplaincy:
“The Peasant from Galilee as a Model for Chaplaincy” that as Jesus listened to people’s stories and was touched by them, and seemed to learn from them.” He further comments that Jesus was not the “professional caregiver who had all the answers if only everyone would shut up and listen.”
Hester further suggests that presence is a very powerful pastoral response when he comments: ‘In classical rhetorical theory there was a principle called simply, “Presence.” It entailed understanding the nature of the location of the audience and who made up that audience in order to understand what to say and how to say it.” He further suggests that silence may in fact be the most pastoral response of all.
Dr. Hester presented his paper at the Mid-South Fall Pastoral Care Institute at the Trinity Presbyterian Church Little Rock, AR
-George Hankins Hull
Posted by Perry Miller, Editor at January 16, 2009 5:32 PM