Can an Anglican prison chaplain pastorally care for a follower of witchcraft?

Reflections by Walter Pospelyj, Anglican Chaplain to the Parklea Correctional Centre.

Whilst we may be an ‘Anglican’ chaplain or a ‘Presbyterian’ chaplain, and have a direct responsibility to pastorally care for and minister to those of our own denomination, in accordance with our specific denominational practices and traditions.  There is an expectation that we will be available for the religious and spiritual needs of those from other faiths.

After 12 years of ministering in correctional centres, the day that I had anticipated for many years finally eventuated.  On March 7, 2012, in response to a referral request from an inmate to see a chaplain, I spoke with a 50 year old man who claimed to be a follower of witchcraft.  He spoke with a great deal of knowledge and confidence in relation to his faith and appeared to be well versed.  He went on to claim that he has traced his family tree back many hundreds of years, and over those generations “the craft” had been passed down from generation to generation and practiced by each successive generation.

The reason for this referral was primarily to obtain “religious material” – various books and a set of tarot cards - and secondly, to receive “religious visits” from “his people”.

I spoke with this inmate for over an hour.  It was an interesting and passionate conversation and we covered a number of “religious” and other random topics.  I listened and asked many questions, and listened some more for a good portion of the conversation.  There were many opportunities to interact with what he was saying, but as the conversation progressed and developed, there appeared to be a willingness to hear my input.

There were a couple of things that troubled me.  This inmate has done considerable gaol time and has experienced a variety of negative reactions from various chaplains around the state when he revealed his witchcraft background.  Some chaplains refused to speak to him, some banned him from the chapel and one even ran away from him on hearing his background and affiliation.  Virtually all of the chaplains refused to assist him or provide him with any pastoral care.  What would compel someone to run away or refuse to engage this inmate in conversation.  Is it fear?  Is it a lack of confidence in their faith?  I have no idea.  But as I look at the scriptures I see Jesus engaging with those who are possessed with evil spirits, those who are shunned by society and those who have differing religious views.

He asked if I had a problem with organising some books, and tarot cards for him.  Herein lies my dilemma.  How do I respond to that question?

I told him that personally I have an issue with books on witchcraft, and personally disagree with its teachings, practices and beliefs.  My theological position puts me at odds with the teachings, practices and beliefs of witchcraft.  But then it does with most other religions as well.  I went on to say that I sit under the authority and teaching of the Bible, and that is why I have an issue with it.

Secondly, I told him that systemically, if his religion is a bone fide religion, accepted by Corrective Services NSW, and that if this “religion” is listed as his religion on his file, then I don’t think I am justified in withholding the delivery of service[1] to him.  If assistance is given to Muslim and Mormon inmates, then a follower of witchcraft is no different.

He appeared to be happy with this response.

In our conversation, he went to say that he hadn’t read the bible and didn’t know much about it.  The rapport that I had established at this point allowed me to speak about what the Bible says, and he appeared to listen and receive it.

I walked away from that conversation, thankful, prayerful, encouraged, perplexed and disappointed.  It was a great opportunity to truly engage with someone who is non Christian in their thinking and I was thankful for that.  I was encouraged in being able to share some of the truths of the scriptures with him, as well as being able to develop a positive rapport with him.  I was disappointed in the response from some of the other chaplains that he had experienced over the years.  And finally as I reflected on my time spent with this inmate, a number of questions and issues were raised.

¢  Can a chaplain in a correctional centre, or hospital, or in any other workplace choose to refuse the delivery of service to an inmate, patient or employee, when requested?”. 

¢  Can we refuse to pastorally care for people just because we have differing religious or theological positions?

¢  Did I honour God in my dealings with this guy, or did I go soft?

¢  Does scripture have anything to add to this scenario?

Let me outline some answers I have so far formulated to some of those questions.

From my understanding, as a prison chaplain, I am responsible to my head of church[2] for matters of faith and practice, and I am responsible to the correctional centre for matters of security.  Having said that, there are also other departmental obligations as a full time chaplain in a correctional centre.  As an Anglican chaplain, I am primarily responsible to minister to members of my own faith, as well as attend to the needs of other inmates as they arise.  That  means that I do facilitate the needs of inmates from other faiths.  Some examples of that include;

·           I will arrange a religious visit by a pastor or minister, at the request of the inmate, from the church / religious organisation that he was associated with prior to coming into custody.

·           I will contact a religious organisation / church to obtain and provide written material for an inmate.

·           I will make the chapel available to other faiths / religious organizations for them to use, such as Friday Muslim prayers or Buddhist meditations.

There are currently 43 different options[3] for “Religion” that an inmate can declare himself to be an adherent of when entering into the custody of the Department of Corrective Services.  These include the mainstream catholic and various protestant denominations, Agnostic and Atheist, a range of non Christian religions, such as Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, Baha’i, Ananda Marga, Pegus, Ratona Taoism and Satanist. 

From that list of religious options, 42 will generally not attract the attention or concern of chaplains or staff within the centre.  However, if an inmate declares to be a ‘Satanist’, or an adherent of witchcraft or any other overtly satanically associated religion, then this will generally draw a different response.

The interpretation of “other faiths” appears to be a nebulous concept.  Amongst most chaplains, there appears to be a general willingness to accept and include followers of Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism and virtually all other faiths, as recipients of pastoral care and ministry.  However, faiths that are not accepted are those such as wicca, witchcraft and the other overtly satanically associated religions. 

It begs the question – “On what basis do you include one and exclude the other?” But then is this a valid question?  Can you include most and exclude a few?  I don’t believe we can exclude a follower of witchcraft, or of any other cult or religion in today’s multi-faith, freedom of religion, pluralistic society.

There are basically two spiritual pools we swim in. Christianity is unique in what it teaches and differs from all the other religions. It holds to the authority of scripture, and proclaims Jesus as the Son of God, fully God – fully man, born of a virgin, who physically died on the Cross at Calvary and physically rose three days later.  In his death, he took the punishment for the sin of mankind, with the result being reconciliation between God and mankind for those who place their faith and trust in His death on the cross.  Jesus himself said, “I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me.[4]”

The other pool contains all those who hold a different position from Christianity due to the fact that they believe and proclaim something different from what scripture teaches.  Christianity may be closely aligned by some with other faiths.  In the case of Islam, there is the claim that Christianity and Islam serve the same God.  This is an assertion that I totally reject, and it is the differences that will eternally keep us separate.  Islam refuses to accept that Jesus died on the cross, but was rather substituted, as well as refusing to accept Jesus as God, within the Trinity, or as the Son of God.

Having said that, it is the Christian call to love that should keep us seeking to establish relationships with people.  It is love that keeps bringing us to the table to dialogue with people and at times robustly discuss matters of faith, regardless of religious persuasions.

Whilst Paul was waiting for the brothers in Athens, we read in Acts 17:16-17 “that his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.  ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.”

At verse 22-23, Paul addresses the Areopagus and says, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious.  ²³ For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown God.’  What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you”.  Paul then goes on to speak about what God is like and continues on to share the gospel with them.  At the end of the passage we read that some mocked him, some were prepared to listen to him again and some were converted.

My saviour has conquered death and has defeated Satan.  As I hold fast to that truth, it gives me great strength and courage to discuss and reason with people who hold differing religious views from my own – whether they be witchcraft, Islam or Cao Dai.  I don’t agree with the teaching of Islam or of witchcraft, but just as Paul did when the opportunity arose, and with the Spirit’s leading, I will seek to engage members of our communities in dialogue.  I have the freedom of, not from, religion, and therefore as an Evangelical Christian, if people are interested, I am free to engage with them and speak about my Saviour and the great hope that I have because of Him – 1 Peter 3:15-16[5], “¹⁵ but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;¹⁶ yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour I Christ may be put to shame.”

As a chaplain, there is an understanding I will facilitate other religious practices, without prejudice.  Therefore, with gentleness and respect, I can pastorally care for him and provide him with the material he needs to practice his religion.

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[1] “Delivery of service” is a term used to refer to the services from different disciplines within the correctional centre, i.e., psychology, welfare, education and chaplaincy.  Each of these discipline delivers a service of some description to inmates.

[2] For me that is the Anglican Archbishop of the Diocese of Sydney, Peter Jensen.

[3] There are also 5 other options including; Unknown, Refused to provide information, None, No Religion, No Preferred Religion,

[4] John 14:6

[5] CEV



Is Chaplaincy a form of Public Theology?

Kate Bradford

In much theological literature chaplaincy appears within the broad discipline of Pastoral Theology.[1] Doubtless there are good reasons for this, not least of all the fact that Chaplaincy is concerned with Pastoral Care. I wish to suggest because of the secular context of much Chaplaincy practice, Public Theology is better fit for the theology of Chaplaincy, while retaining strong links to both pastoral theology and theological anthropology.[2]

Because much Chaplaincy is concerned with the provision of pastoral care within Public institutions and secular work places it falls more directly under laws of the state.

For example, in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand chaplaincy is delivered via the Ministry of Public Health, National Health Services, Departments of Mental Health, Aged Care Services and Departments of Correctional Services and Prisons. The provision of many chaplaincy services is regulated and legislated by federal and national laws.

The non-compromising and legislative nature of the world in which chaplaincy operates must be a pre-eminent (even if not the most important) concern in trying to develop a theology of chaplaincy as this is the doorway through which chaplaincy must be passed before any public chaplaincy can happen. As such the provision of chaplaincy is placed squarely in the public square and is regulated by the rules of the public square. As such theology of Chaplaincy must work within some particular limits if it is to have permission to operate or indeed to have any voice at all.

If we start with a Biblical pastoral care model and try to thread it through the narrow doorway into the public space, the ministry offered may well be severely compromised and curtailed in the transition – this is the lamentable situation for much pastoral care in the public space. Much of the theology of contemporary pastoral care ministry has generously accommodated the culture and sought to keep the status quo by jettisoning essential truths of the Gospel. In this accommodation Jesus the pastor/shepherd has been extracted from pastoral care to make it culturally acceptable.

A more radical theological application involves creative examination and questioning, before accepting the limits placed on ministry in the public space. By consciously assenting to such limits there is much more scope to construct a theology inside the public space that retains its theological integrity while operating within the rules of the public space. The need to negotiate this situation may be relatively new for the Christians in the English speaking, Post-Christian, western, countries but was the normative state for the early church, and continues to be, for church communities in countries where there is no privileged concession for Christian ministry.  

What are the guidelines for Christians operating in the Public space?

·         Understand that in the Public space, in stark contrast to church based ministries and events, Christians do not control the space or direct the message.

·         The church’s law is restricted to its own institutions and members. The church should not have the power to impose beyond their institutions or discipline non-church members.[3]

·         There is no place for coercion, manipulation by Christians or enforcing an authoritarian theocracy.[4]

·         From a Biblical perspective unless someone is born anew they are unable to choose God or to serve God, this is a spiritual work originating from God, not something a person can manufacture.[5]

·         The state should not have the power to restrict or legislate on religious matters that do not violate state law.[6]

·         Recognise that there are a number of ways in which Christians can contribute to the public space; these activities are all forms of showing God’s love and bearing witness to the world.[7]

1.       Advocacy

2.       Commentary

3.       Evangelism

·         The Christian recognises their shared humanity with all people, who also share God’s image, are part of his creation and loved by him; For God so loved the world he gave his only son (John 3:16). All people are recipients of God’s providential care and common grace.

·         All people have physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.[8]

·         As Christians we long for the best for others and work to defend their basic rights.  

·         As Christians we are subject to law and acknowledge the necessity for laws for the protection of individuals and society, and to place limits on evil and abuses of vulnerable members in society.

The first task in constructing a theology of chaplaincy is to understand the ground rules and secure the perimeter fence.  In many countries, there is great freedom within the defined space to construct a theology of chaplaincy that remains theological conservative combined with a radical cultural application.

Chaplaincy that follows this model is respectful of the law, longs to see rights and freedoms of people upheld together with their responsibilities as people made in the image of God. Chaplains 1) advocate for the vulnerable, 2) provide Biblical commentary to the events around us and 3) provide spiritual care that engages the eternal horizon while attending to things within the immediate frame. This care takes Gospel forms of intentions, actions and words that point to the saving and transforming ministry of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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[1] Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and the associated Journal of Pastoral Care and Counselling

[2] In his book ‘Chaplaincy in the Twenty-First Century’ Christopher Swift uses the tools of Practical Theology to describe the complexities of Hospital Chaplaincy in the British NHS system. 

[3] Drawn from the thinking of Roger Williams (1603- 1683 the Puritan Thinker who successfully lobbied the English Parliament to outlaw of religious persecution on the grounds of conscious. Williams successfully lobbied for religious liberty and freedom of conscience. Roger Williams founded the state of Rhode Island as a refuge for those fleeing religious persecution. Roger Williams also upheld land rights and advocated for the purchasing of land from the indigenous New Englanders. 

[4] Roger Williams

[5] John 3:1-21

[6] Roger Williams

[7] From a public lecture by Dr Andrew Cameron, Moore College, Centre for Christian Living.  Christian Voices in the Public Square Mon 2 April 2012.

[8] World Health Organisation  http://www.who.int/hia/examples/overview/whohia203/en/index.html

Reflections on James 5:13-18 in the pastoral context.

 ¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let himsing praise. ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

James 5:13-18

Important things to keep in mind when reading this passage of James and trying to apply it with real people, like you.

1. As a result of the Fall, sickness and suffering are a reality. Further, we will all die a physical death (and after that, face judgment. Hebrews 9:27) In the thick of it, people do forget these truths, but don’t remind them immediately because they will not hear you. See point 3.

2. It is likely that our deaths will be preceded by a period of illness, from which, in the plan of God, we will not be physically healed.

3. People faced with prolonged illness or suffering invariably have to modify their beliefs about God and themselves as a result of their experience. In addition, what they know in their heads often conflicts with their heart response to their experience of suffering (hence the "Why?" theodicy question, see Psalms 13 and 22). So we need to have patience and not be afraid of the expression of powerful emotions that can and do, under God, lead to new insight.

4. In broader context, James has been focusing on love in action authenticating a saving faith in Christ. In the immediate context of this passage, his encouragement to believers is to be mindful of the return of Christ and the coming judgment while persevering in faith in the face of suffering (as per the prophets and Job).

Notes on the text: James 5:13-18

The primary idea in the opening verse (v13), in keeping with James' theme, is that faith should be applied in action in all circumstances.

Where someone is sick, the faithful response of that person is to "call the elders to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord." In other words, the faithful response is for the sick person to request intercession by the leadership of the church.

(nb The word translated "sick" here in verse 13 has a broader meaning in Greek. The word is astheneo, which is more commonly used in the NT to denote weakness of various kinds, including weakness of a spiritual/moral nature, weakness of a physical nature (illness, yes, but not necessarily serious or life threatening), or weakness of a more general nature (including anxiety, personal inadequacy linked to a sense of rejection, disrepute, dishonour, general powerlessness or even economic weakness (ie poverty)).

(nb the second "sick" in verse 15 is the Greek word kamne, which only appears in one other place in the NT, in Hebrews 12:3 as the word "weary" as in "consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." This I believe to be highly significant given the fact that immediate context indicates James has in mind Job-like faithful perseverance in the face of suffering.)

What are we to make of the fact that these two words translated "sick" in the NIV have such rich layers of meaning? Well, I think James is trying to not limit the context of intercessory prayer and anointing by the leaders of the church to that of serious illness. 

Note too that James’ focus is on the faith of the elders praying, not the weakened person. There is no room for telling the weakened person that their faith is deficient if the prayer is not answered. We will see why in a moment.

Just as the words translated "sick" in verses 13 and 15 are able to be interpreted differently in a wide range of contexts, so the words for 'well' and 'raise him up' (verse 15) and 'healed' (verse 16) can be as well. To spare you, I will not go into the details, but ……this only adds more fuel to the hypothesis that James is wanting to cover a wide range of circumstances, including, but not limited to, physical sickness.

Within the context of new covenant relationship with God through love in action (ie faith) in Christ, God's care of his suffering, trusting and persevering ones is multi-faceted and various - God expects faith in action from us in all circumstances, but his care knows no bounds either, nor is there a circumstance where prayer is inappropriate.

This does not mean that the elders of the church should always keep a bottle of oil in their back pockets, but there are clear implications for pastoral ministry within the church context here for prayer, for the leadership of the church and for the membership in general. How might this passage be applied in your church, in your ministry context? Is it already? How?
Why oil though? It’s a good question.

Culturally, oil for the Jews symbolized a number of characteristics that encouraged the one being anointed.  Ps 89:20-25 points to oil being something that infused the anointee (in this case David) with strength from God. Oil was also used to mark a new beginning (of particular pastoral significance to one weakened by suffering), it was also associated with joy (Ps 45:7, Isa 61:3) and an expectation of restoration, security and care by God. (nb It must be said that the "nard" referred to in John 12:1-8 at Mary's anointing of Jesus was a very expensive fragrant oil often used to rub on a dead body to neutralize the smell of decay, but she, out of an immediate and pressing desire, used it to express her devotion to Christ while he was alive.)

The prayer of faith -- the anticipation is that God will do as he desires, in accordance with his character, not that he will do what we want him to. To anticipate the latter runs counter to James telling his readers to preface their plans with "if it be the Lord's will," thus demonstrating a humble dependence on God's faithfulness to his promises, not a high-handedness or a presumption. God's will determines the outcome. So the prayer of faith can only be offered if the will of God is in keeping with the prayer. The righteous person's prayer is powerful and effective not because of personal merit, but because of close relationship with God enabling discernment of how to pray in accordance with the will of God. There is also of course the possibility that the weakened person will indeed die, and if that is likely, then confession if they need to and intercessory prayer by the leadership of the church are entirely appropriate preparations for the ultimate healing (resurrection and eternal life, see Rev. 21:1-5)

Confession - It is destructive to assume that sickness (although we might understand it more as weakness in this passage)  is as a result of sin. Job's wasn't. The man in the gospels who was born blind was born so not as a result of sin ("Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?" Neither! says Jesus (John 9:2ff). In some cases there can certainly be a direct link, eg alcohol abuse and vascular dementia is one that springs to mind, but even then, there may be people with vascular dementia who have not abused alcohol at all. So we need to be very careful. However, there is evidence in my pastoral experience to say that some sickness has its origin in sin. For example, knotted pain in the stomach can be a result of unforgiveness and if not dealt with, can lead to ulcers. The notion of sin resulting in sickness accords with scripture as well, although my example (which just springs to mind) is in a very specific context. Paul says in 1 Cor. 11:30 that some of the Corinthians have grown weak and sick and some have died as a result of failing to take communion after appropriate self-examination and failing to recognize that it is the bodily sacrifice of Christ that brings them forgiveness.

Indeed, I believe James is saying that if sin is involved as a cause of the weakness, however that weakness might be experienced, confession and prayer will bring healing, both physical and spiritual (eg. Sin confessed, forgiveness sought and received, knotted pain disappears, ulcer heals).  If it is not the cause of the weakness, then prayer in accordance with the will of God (see above) will still be powerful and effective.

The last verses highlight the value of fervent prayer and right relationship with God. Also, there is a fellowship with Elijah that James' readers would have found encouraging - that of his humanity perhaps, but more importantly that he was a figure who suffered much in the midst of faithful service. It was when the people of Israel confessed their sin and renounced idols that rain came.

I hope this has been of some help to you.

Rev. Stuart Adamson, Anglican Chaplain and Pastoral Supervisor (CPE) (Prince of Wales Hospital, NSW Australia)

Christ’s Agenda for Chaplains Today

An open agenda

Even though chaplains are taught not to impose their own agenda, do they legitimately have one? If so, by what authority, and how are they to express it?

Christ has an open agenda for creation, the church, and the individual. There is both an openness and a hiddenness. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of the law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29). The once hidden Gospel for all nations has now been revealed in the Gospel so that God’s manifold wisdom may, through the church be declared in the face of the demonic powers of evil (Ephesians 3: 1-13). There is nothing manipulative about God’s agenda or his methods.

Hiddenness within God’s agenda can be pastorally challenging, but is never manipulative, unlike “Fabianism”. – the strategy of the inevitability of gradualism, which aims to achieve undisclosed ultimate ends by the gradual and incremental achievement of a long succession of disclosed short term goals. The effect would be that people would inevitably be guided in the direction of targets that they would never accept if they knew the whole plan in advance. Contrary to this, Jesus Christ has revealed his plan ever since his resurrection from the dead. When his servants seek to persuade people to follow him, they are able to do so with full integrity, for Christ has revealed his hand.

God placed all things under Christ’s feet and appointed him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body and which is being filled by him who is in the process of filling all things in every way. (Ephesians 1: 22-23)

Now here is a summary of the plan of Jesus outlined in Ephesians 1, that finds its completedness in the last verse of that chapter.

1          God the Father has given all authority and power to Christ.

2          Christ is head over all things in the universe, including nature, people, earthly power structures, angels and demons.

3          Although this work is often invisible, Christ is inexorably and continuously pursuing his own agenda with regard to the universe (including the church).

4          Christ’s agenda is to bring the whole universe to its full destiny in line with God’s purposes. Insofar as this was interrupted by the Fall, Christ will restore and then take it further.

5          Within this process Christ has a special agent, with whom he has a type of marital union, which is the paradigm for marriage – of a man and a woman. That agent is his bride the Church, his own special body whom he nourishes and cherishes. Collectively and individually we are precious to him – and chosen from eternity!

6          This church is at the centre of his plan and purposes. It is made of people eternally chosen, in love set free by the substitutionary death of Christ, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. He gives foretastes of heaven, wisdom and empowerment to achieve his goals.

7          What Christ is doing cosmically he is doing also in the church and what he is doing in the church he is also, in principle, doing cosmically – completing his eternal plan.

8          The sphere for Christ’s agenda and activity is the totality of all that exists in the created order.

9          The methods that Christ is using are described as “in every way”. There is nothing that he does not use for his ultimate glory and will.

10         As Christ is Lord of All, then he is Lord over marriage, family, politics, nations, the economy, sport, recreation, technology, and nature. He is Lord over all hospitals, correctional centres. He is Lord over medicine, surgery and unexplainable miracles.

God’s Agenda at Work – Through, Beyond - and even Despite us

Every type of person is in hospital, and many wrestle with multiple losses. As people who suffer we may be sharing in and identifying with these crises for ourselves, but we are there for them and not for ourselves. We need also to find separate and deliberate opportunities when we are not ministering – to receive prayer and healing, forgiveness and forgivingness regarding our own pain.

Our agenda as chaplains operates within the segment that intersects the circle of Scripture with the circle of the patient’s situation and life. Without a confidence in Scripture, we have nothing ultimate to speak into the patient’s situation – hence the cry of the ER patient, “Send me a real chaplain who believes in a real God and a real hell!” Without a deep compassion and understanding of people for whom we care, we can bring nothing from the faith to these folk. “Truthing in love, we are to grow up into Christ” (Eph 4: 15). In that verse the Greek word has to imply action within the truth. Truth is not there merely sound cognition, even of the content itself of God’s revelation. Truth is ontologically dynamic. Our living out of truth is inseparable from a continual dying and rising with whom who is the Way, the Truth and the Life – and it is all of grace.

Our experience may lead us, at times, to feel despondent about how far God is actually fulfilling an agenda in the world.  We may well ask, ‘How inclusive is “all things” and “in every way” in Ephesians 1: 23?’ “All things” are everything in the cosmos. The celebration of our gratitude to God should not stop short of the continuing practice of thanking God concerning every type of thing within his creation (Ephesians 5: 18ff). We are to reinterpret our context within hospitals or other public institutions in line with the fact that God has an invisible plan that looks quite different to the visibility that we perceive. This is meant to inspire hope and also a sense of quiet and confident authority. Our intercession and our visits are all within God’s sovereign plan and will. This is so encouraging and empowering.

In St. Paul’s writings, the Christian has to fight on three fronts: against one’s own sinful nature (Eph 4: 22-25); against the cunning and lust of deceitful and manipulative people (Eph 4: 14); against the spiritual rulers of this present darkness (Eph 6: 10-18). God ultimately wins, as Martin Luther well expressed it:

God… works all in all, even in the ungodly; while He alone moves, acts, and carries along by the motion of His omnipotence, all those things which He alone has created, which motion those things can neither avoid nor change, but of necessity follow and obey, each one according to the measure of power given by God: - thus all things, even the ungodly, co-operate with God!…

The source is - Luther, Bondage of the Will. (Translated by Henry Cole, Baker Baker Bookhouse, Michigan, 1981, Section CXXX1, page 317)

Serving, though Hidden, within the Biggest Plan

The Church is the body that belongs to Christ. It is being filled by Christ who is filling all things. He is doing this in every way. He works through love in action and he even hijacks evil to serve his own good purposes (though he never does evil, nor sanctions it by others). We have an ongoing responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with Christ and his word (Eph 5: 18 and Colossians 3: 16), so that we may respond to and participate in God’s cosmic plan, in any of the all things that he calls on us to do. Then we may be confident that even the smallest and briefest interactions with have with patients, inmates, clients and residents, even where our own agendas are on the back-burner, whatever we are dong serves the ultimate agenda of God in Christ.

Rev Lindsay Johnstone

Chaplain, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney                10 April 2012