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Christianity Today, January, 2009 |

WHERE WE STAND

Don't Let Them Die Alone

Hospice care spirituality would benefit from greater Christian engagement.

A Christianity Today editorial | posted 1/06/2009 08:25AM

Spiritual seekers seek till the very end of life, demonstrated a recent New York Times piece about the friendships between "spiritual but not religious" hospice patients and their chaplains. As hospice ...

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Gretchen Robinson

Posted: January 17, 2009 7:39 PM

I am a hospice chaplain and a humanist. When I comes time for me to depart, I hope that the chaplain can put aside her "Great Commission" and evangelical zeal and minister to my spiritual needs, just as I put aside my humanism and minister to Christian, Jew, agnostic, and other faiths. I went through several years of theological education and four units of Clinical Pastoral Education to prepare myself for this. My supervisor said that some of the students with the greatest spiritual gifts had a non-traditional spiritual outlook. (Besides whatever happened to 'by their fruits ye shall know them'?) It would be abusive for anyone to proselytize at the bedside, to impose your view of what the patient needs upon a vulnerable patient and family. It would also be malpractice. It's evil to impose your spiritual will on another.

JFK	Posted: January 12, 2009 1:32 PM


But John McCain said he had been tested on a carrier deck during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, he went back too far like Dole in '96

Chaplain Jimmy

Posted: January 12, 2009 11:45 AM

I am a hospice chaplain in New Mexico. For me, I believe my role is to embody the gospel to the people I serve. I am not looking for converts to my brand of Christianity. It is my hope that in every situation that people encounter Christ in me (i.e., His love, His mercy, His grace, His majesty, His goodness, etc) in whatever measure that they need for that moment. It is my calling to re-present Christ to everyone I meet, and that each one would "taste and see" the difference in me. That being said, I believe that I would be dishonoring Christ and disrespecting the person in front of me by responding to their need with an intellectual argument and an attempt to elicit a conversion from them. I am unwilling to diminish the gospel to this extent. As a hospice professional, I am usually thrilled to see communities of faith involved in my patient's life. It can be a blessing to everyone involved, as many people are disconnected from their faith affiliation for various reasons.

Lynda

Posted: January 08, 2009 10:22 PM

I attended a chaplains' conference shortly after my graduation from seminary and found myself quite "turned off". I had been invited to present a workshop, but was told in advance not to mention Jesus, use only Old Testament scriptures if I had to use any at all, not to pray in Jesus' name. Being told that they would like to "hear about what you do but absolutely don't mention the source of your strength to do it at all" meant to me that the chaplaincy in the area in which I live has become a secular organization. In attending the other workshops at the conference, I had to conclude that Jung was bigger than Jesus to these people. There were only a tiny handful of evangelical Christians there... but Islam, Wicca, Ba'hai, Christian Science, Hinduism, Sikhism were all represented. And I heard plenty about how "they were all the same and all had the same message, really." It confirmed to me that I have more freedom to bring Jesus when I am representing a church, not chaplaincy.

Bette Dewing

Posted: January 08, 2009 8:01 AM

I've found both mainline and evangelical churcnes fairly indifferent to elder needs - focusing mostly on younger people and younger families. While racism, anti-semitism, sexism and now homo-phobia are assailed, not the socially acceptable ubiquitous prejudice of ageism, growing and being old. It was so very evident in John McCain's candidacy and he like many elders also mocked his stage of life. No group is as oppressed as one which doesn't recognize its oppression, some wise person said. But it relates surely to churches non-involvement in elder care noted in your so all-important critique. Attention must be paid ! Incidentally I'm one of the very few "greatest generation" persons writing a column - especially one denouncing ageism and also our age apartheid (in families especially)customs. www.ourtownny.com click on op ed and then dewing things better. Also a minority voice often saying faith (and faith groups) have great potential for good.

Diana

Posted: January 07, 2009 6:40 PM


As one interested in chaplaincy, I'd like to find these 2-year certification programs--ones I find are 3 years and require Greek and Hebrew. As a later-in-life career changer, that's daunting.

Rev. Max Bishop

Posted: January 07, 2009 4:23 PM

I am a hospice chaplain and have seen a lot of change in hospice over the last fourteen years. Where once hospices were entirely volunteer organizations with very little governmental intervention, now they have to toe a very controlled fine line with regulatory "bounty hunters" eyeing every move. This has impacted the role of the hospice chaplain. Yet, I am still amazed, and grateful, that even with the ever looming church/state controversy, the government requires pastoral or spiritual counseling for this very special population of the sick and needy. Yes, it is a very challenging time for Christian participation in end of life care, but who ever said it would be easy or laid in our laps? My policy has been to do what you can with whatever you're given (and maybe even push the envelope a little). I haven't been fired yet. Thanks for your timely article.

Rev. Cairan McGill

Posted: January 07, 2009 6:59 AM

After 20 years as a hospice chaplain it is time to leave. The day has arrived when I can get fired for preaching the Gospel at the most important moment in a patient's life. I can no longer wear my clerical cloths because it "might offend someone". And as the article says, hospice chaplain's see themselves more and more as social workers. It is high time for the Church to take back this ministry. Moreover it is time for the church to establish their own hospices! Hospice chaplaincy has become a dead and hostile place for any committed christian who believes in the good news.

Nora Newman

Posted: January 06, 2009 5:42 PM

Not all who read your articles are ordained ministers. As a clinical social worker, I started a hospice for a Visiting Nurses Association; and ran it as administrator/volunteer director for three years. The hospice personnel are very much a team, with great overlap in their respective roles, especially as they are played out in the dying patient's home. Most all the team are comfortable with conversatione regarding faith and the hereafter. Every one of the team of fiev listened often to stories of faith, separation and reconciliation. I am convinced Hospice is the most "faith based" service for which there is govenment support (The Medicare/hospice benefit); Anyone who wants a visit from their faith-based clergy of choice MUST be served, by mandate of Medicare regulations. Yes, we Christians should be more willing to be involved; others are....

Gerald Rodriguez

Posted: January 06, 2009 4:24 PM

Your view on hospice care spirituality was a comforting and confirming one for me personally. A year after the death of my mother, my wife and I were able to establish an endowed scholarship for nursing and ministry students at Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, CA) wishing to enter into the field of hospice and palliative care. We feel that the church body and individual Christians should be able to visit the infirm and those who are able should also provide opportunities for others to visit and care for the infirm. Since our Lord made it an imperative for all believers to seek out those who are in prisons, hospitals, and other such institutions to minister to their needs, your call to assist those in hospice care falls in line with this mandate.

Ted Jones

Posted: January 06, 2009 4:08 PM

I live in Arizona. A few years ago, at age 94, my dad was at the point where medical procedures were no more effective. He was in a Christian life-care retirement home in Oklahoma (my folks had moved there in the 80s). Having power of attorney, I had to make decisions about Dad's care (Mom had passed away some years before). When I was notified by the home that Dad was not doing well, I immediately went to be with him. After a lengthy consultation with Dad's doctor, it was decided to put him in hospice care. They came to the retirement home the next day and made me aware of what they would do to take care of Dad. I stayed on for another three days to be able to interact with hospice personnel and was also visited several times by the hospice chaplain. I could not stay indefinitely, so after I was sure Dad would be okay in hospice hands, I returned home, assured that Dad would be well taken care of. He was and, about a month later, he passed away. Am thankful for hospice.

Fraser McDougall

Posted: January 06, 2009 3:22 PM

A humanist organisation over here in the UK has today started a bus-side advertising campaign declaring "There probably is no God, so relax and enjoy your life" or so it goes, something like that. I listened to an article on this in the car today on my way home from work. I am a 48 year old, world wise, war weary, slightly backslidden Christian, and I wanted to weep hearing it. The humanist message completely disconnects those humans who would seek such comfort and hope at the times when hospice chaplains are called upon. I cannot believe that humans want to deny hope and comfort to other humans, especially at such times. Keep up your work, chaplains, whether or not you feel called to evangelise or not. Mother Theresa ministered comfort without being "preachy". She and you bring dignity to those most in need. Your example speaks volumes. Thank You.

Mark Olsen

Posted: January 06, 2009 2:30 PM

To Chaplain Allen--"False" to proselytize at the time of death? Why of course--after all, there's nothing especially urgent about the moment of death. You can come back and share the Gospel at a better time. Like the gravesite. And besides, the Great Commission was riddled with more exceptions than an insurance contract, right? Christ instructed us only to share the Good News in the places and the times convenient to our "work." We wouldn't want to get fired in the process of doing something as trivial as mere evangelism. And who cares if people go to hell, as long as we loved them like good neighbors while we kept our professional demeanors intact and the Gospel hidden under a bushel during their dying moments?

Chaplain Allen

Posted: January 06, 2009 11:37 AM

I am a hospice chaplain in south florida. My particular hospice has 20 full-time hired chaplains. Almost half of us are "evangelical", and all of us except two identify ourselves as Christians. Quite a few of the nurses and social workers are Christians here. I too read the NY Times article. My dismay was that it was not a description but an agenda, and described a chaplaincy I do not live at all. Yes, it is false (and you'd get fired) to proselytize your religion at time of death---our work is focused on loving our neighbor as ourselves, not evangelism. In fact, most of the people I care for are "lapsed" church goers, very desirous to connect to God again, and two become one. I have great news--Christians are in hospice, and more are welcome.

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