Praying Globally within Chaplaincy

Here is a book review by Lindsay Johnstone, a Chaplain at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

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I recommend:  Don Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1992). However, some of these perspectives are mine and should not be read onto anyone else.

Everything must be bathed in prayer.

The major impact of Carson’s book is the all-pervasive need of prayer with regard to every part of our lives and ministries, its passionate commitment to unselfish compassion, and the global dimensions of prayer to a living Father who is deeply committed to us personally and also to all others of his children.

“We become fruitful by grace; we persevere by grace; we mature by grace; by grace we grow to love one another more, and by grace we cherish holiness and a deepening knowledge of God.” (p.60)

We are not left by God just to use the propositions of the Bible and our native intellect and abilities to work it all out through our programs and stereotyped impressions of what is meant by our job descriptions. In Paul, prayer “is not made up of petty petitions, isolated requests that are to be answered by a God who, rather exceptionally, intervenes in our lives and does something remarkable. We are not to think of ourselves as basically independent and on the right tack, but occasionally in need of a little input from the Deity, a little blessing called down by an appropriately formulated prayer. That sort of view is almost akin to pagan magic.”(Carson p.61)

Our prayers are central within God’s sovereignty.

We should not think that our prayers move the contingent hand of God, nor that he does not really need our prayers at all for his will to be done.

Read Genesis 15: 19-20; 2 Samuel 24; Isaiah 10: 5-19; John 6: 37-40; Philippians 2: 12-13; Acts 18: 9-10;

Acts 4: 23-40(p.150-156)

Intercession is part of the invasion of the kingdoms of this world by the Kingdom of God

Whether your institution had a Christian element in its foundation or was entirely secular, never underestimate the purposes of God within it.

Our record and experience matters nothing if the Holy Spirit accompanies us not, and we rely mainly upon our native gifting or acquired skills.

An emergency call-out is an opportunity for compassionate and penetrating intercession.

Our assistance is desired in the most dire circumstances. Travel time between receiving the call and seeing the patient can be prayer preparation time.

We are in a spiritual warfare.

Do our prayers have passion and militancy?  Do we exercise our God-given authority in our prayers? Do we believe that the Devil roams around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour? (1 Peter 1: 5), or is he just a “headless chicken”?

“Shine, Jesus shine! Blaze, Spirit blaze!”

Is it alright to direct some prayers straight to Christ or to the Holy Spirit?  Many hymns do this, but some say it is preferable not to pray direct to the Holy Spirit (and perhaps not much to Christ). The Christian is free to do whatever is not ruled out by the Scriptures. 1662 BCP contains such prayers. “Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire...” for many decades was sung daily at meetings of the Sydney Diocesan Synod.  “I believe in the Holy Spirit... who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified” (Nicene Creed)!

Fasting

Matthew 6 assumes fasting is normal. It is least appropriate when we are celebrating the presence of the Bridegroom (e.g. Holy Communion!) Fasting is most appropriate in a context where the Bridegroom is experienced as absent. It may sometimes be needed to cast out a demon, or to receive a breakthrough such as guidance and empowerment for ministry, or for the breaking of a bondage that blocks the reception of some of God’s blessings.

Non-rational prayer?

Prayer consists sometimes partly of sighing, weeping, groaning, and tongues. In private they can be expressions of inner praise or grief, a broken heart, a passionate compassion for the lost or wounded. It is a sin to discourage people from the private use of such forms of these! Also they have nothing to do with some second stage process! Some “ talk more, others less; some are constantly vocal, others cultivate silence before God as their way of adoration; some slip into glossalalia, others make a point of not slipping into it; yet we may all be praying as God wants us to. The only rules are, stay within Biblical guidelines... ” (Carson, p. 38)

All For Jesus

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3: 20 -21).

Copyright: J. H. Lindsay Johnstone

Book Review, Christopher Swift, Hospital Chaplaincy in the Twenty-first Century: The Crisis of Spiritual Care on the NHS

A Reflection by Kate Bradford, a Chaplain in a Paediatric Hospital.

This reflection focuses on the summary history of chaplaincy contained within the first section of Christopher Swift’s book. 

Christopher Swift presents a comprehensive guide to the major issues surrounding hospital chaplaincy conducted within a public health system. The context of the book is British but there are many parallels that could be drawn with the chaplaincy system we have inherited within the NSW health system.

Swift, as a chaplain, held a senior hospital position within a NHS Trust. He writes as an insider with a clear understanding of what it is to be a chaplain, negotiating simultaneously the expectations placed on a chaplain by a secular government and the institutional church.

Swift places chaplaincy within its historical context by providing a brief but fascinating history of chaplaincy and hospitals. During medieval times hospitals were initially within the monasteries. Illness and spirituality were regarded as intimately connected, concern for the body together with care of the soul, the hospitaller/chaplain  played a central role within these institutions. The role of doctor and chaplain merged. The surgeon was enjoined to ‘warn and persuade’ the patient and to call in the physician of the soul.

The care of the sick underwent major changes with the Reformation as hospitals came under government control. The role of the chaplain changed significantly and accountability for the institution was primarily to the Government. Previously the role of the chaplain involved ritual and sacraments but as the church reformed,  the role changed to the  more verbal ministries of teaching of Scripture, instructing and providing words of comfort.

Over time religion remained central to hospitals, but the focus on eternal salvation diminished and concern for the cure of souls subtly shifted to cure of bodies. The doctor was expected to play a role in the moral improvement of the patient expecting the patient to offer thanksgiving and prayer. As science and medicine advanced the public role of chaplain further declined and then ultimately retreated to the private world of the bedside.   

The historical context of chaplaincy was located very much within the area of Christian life and faith. Chaplaincy was primarily concerned with matters relating to spiritual health and the revelation of God rather than psychological health. 

It is interesting to note that this historical view of chaplaincy has some significant differences from the modern Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) movement that began with Anton Boisen in the 1920’s in the Worcester State Hospital, Massachusetts. Anton Boisen was a liberal clergyman who suffered a number of distinct periods of severe psychosis. Boisen observed that a crisis could precipitate religious quickening, and that when a person’s fate hangs in the balance, people think and feel intensely about the things that matter most. The CPE model focuses on these issues in its care, drawing heavily on counselling models for its method.

Drawing on the perceptive insights provided by Anton Boisen, we need to hear the patient as a living document. But Christopher Swift has done us a great favour by reminding us of the rich Christian heritage we have as chaplains. On wider reflection if we, as chaplains, hear only the patient but do not listen to the true and living document that is the Word of Life and submit to the Spirit of Christ, we have done great disservice to the patient, and as such our care has not been Chaplaincy. 

Copyright Kate Bradford 2011

Swift, C., Hospital Chaplaincy in the Twenty-first Century: the Crisis of Spiritual Care on the NHS. (Ashgate, Surrey), 2009.

Book review: Purves, A., The Crucifixion of Ministry – Surrendering Our Ambitions to the Service of Christ.

This book review comes from Stuart Adamson, Anglican Chaplain at Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick.

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Has God crucified your ministry yet? It is a pretty in-your-face question for a chaplain, or for anyone in pastoral ministry. But it is one we all would do well to reflect on, according to Andrew Purves, author of The Crucifixion of Ministry – Surrendering Our Ambitions to the Service of Christ.

Purves, Chair of Pastoral Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, has written a short but provocative book that highlights the futility of human-centred pastoring and seeks, with a wellreasoned theological argument rooted in Scripture, to ensure that Christ takes his rightful place at the centre of our service.

Taking aim at the tendency for pastors (and chaplains) to become success-driven and pre-occupied with being effective, Purves argues Scripture has something very important to say to those who fall into thinking "it is up to (me) to actualize and achieve everything in faith, life and ministry." Such thinking, argues Purves, renders Jesus nothing more than a moral influence.

Purves unfolds a biblical approach to pastoral ministry characterized by our participation in Christ. It is His ministry that we participate in, not the other way around. Our ministry is not redemptive, only Jesus' is. What's more, we don't bring Christ with us to the bedside, to the exercise yard or the lounge area, for He is already there.

The impetus for Purves' writing comes out of what he calls "the two seasons of dying" in pastoring – the first soon after college, the second often after a significant period of service. While the first death may relate to unrealistic expectations, the second is much more insidious and subtle. It is typified by occasional statements to oneself such as "Inside I feel I can't bury any more babies, listen to any more divorcing couples … listen to any more cancer diagnoses … The yoke is too heavy and the burden is too great."

Purves argues that both deaths spring from the pastor's sense of ownership of their ministry developing along inherently blasphemous lines until it implodes. Our sinful natures fuel our love of the idea that the success of our ministry hinges on our efforts and our skill level, while the prevailing paradigm for pastoral work and ministry promotes Jesus as a moral influence.

Basing his argument on a number of passages in Paul's letters, Purves laments what he calls "Christological timidity" in pastoral ministry, and referencing Athansius, makes a passionate plea for us to live by the radical statement of Paul in Galatians 2:20, "I, yet not I, but Christ" as we announce the love of God, care deeply for others and bear witness in other ways.

This is a book that has the capacity to unsettle us in our service, force us to reassess our motives and to facilitate the dethroning of idols in our ministry as it points us back to Christ. To paraphrase Purves himself, the book's title tells us much about the journey we are on as chaplains, a journey of ongoing crucifixion, to the glory of God.

Purves, A., The Crucifixion of Ministry – Surrendering Our Ambitions to the Service of Christ. (IVP, Downers Grove) 2007.

Copyright Stuart Adamson 2011

The Idea

At a recent conference of ANGLICARE Chaplains in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney one of our chaplains floated the idea that we could support each other by sharing book reviews and discussing ideas with theological reflection on the ministry we do in hospitals, prisons and aged care facilities.

This blog is a response to that. The hope is that we will also interact with others as well and so engage in a wide discussion of the nature of Christian Chaplaincy from an Evangelical perspective.

The first article will appear shortly. (At least, someone has promised an article, and I will do my best to get it up within a reasonable time.)

In the mean time, any comments you have will be welcomed and we look forward to interacting with you on the things chaplains get up to and how we reflect on this ministry.