Spiritual struggles arise from conflicts (1) within oneself, particularly one’s values, (2) between oneself and God for those in theocentric religious traditions, and (3) between oneself and one’s significant religious and spiritual communities. Spiritual struggles “are defined as religious/spiritual expressions that reflect a religious/spiritual system in tension and turmoil” (Ano & Pargament, 2012, p. 419). Spiritual struggles “embody fundamental questions about the ultimate benevolence, fairness, and meaningfulness of the world…” (Pargament, Murray-Swank, Magyar, & Ano, 2005, p. 254). When spiritual struggles become chronic they decrease spiritual, physical, and relational well -being. This praxis will explore spiritual struggles both in caregivers and care seekers from theological, psychological, and cultural perspectives. The goal of such exploration is liberative spiritual integration of spiritual struggles. This praxis is designed for pastoral and spiritual caregivers and for those interested in spiritually-orienting counseling.
The following chapters and articles
Exline Pargament et al. 2014 Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale PRS 2014.pdf
Pargament, Desai, McConnell 2006 Spirituality A pathway to PTG.pdf
Doehring Resilience as the ability to spiritually integrate moral stress 8-27-2014.pdf
The following additonal readings will be helpful for students who haven't done pastoral care courses at Iliff that have used these readings
Doehring Chapter 5 The Practice of Pastoral Care Rev. & expanded.docx
Ramsay 2013 Intersectionality (with page #).pdf
Resources on spiritual practices and compassion
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3037045/want-to-train-your-brain-to-feel-more-compassion-heres-how
Here is a link to some suggestions for spiritual practices you might use in this course to enhance the habits you are working on
http://spirituallife.iliff.edu (Links to an external site.)
Class Schedule for On-site Class
Friday, October 17, 2014 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Addressing Spiritual Struggles in Counseling:
Conceptualization, Assessment & Intervention
9.00 a.m. Opening with a centering practice
9.05 a.m. Introductions
9.25 a.m. Our learning covenant (posted on Canvas)
9.30 a.m. The nature and roots of spiritual struggles (Dr. Pargament)
Spiritual orienting systems, moral stress, and spiritual struggles (Dr. Doehring)
10.30 a.m. Break
10.45 a.m. Small group discussions about journal assignments:
11.45 a.m.Plenary sharing
12.15 p.m. Lunch on your own
1.15 p.m. Trajectory of spiritual struggles: Growth or decline?
2.45 p.m. Break
3.00 p.m. Small group discussions about journal assignments:
How have your experiences of struggle or stress evolved and what’s been helpful?
How might you use what you are learning to assess whether those experiencing spiritual struggles or moral stress are able to integrate these experiences in helpful ways?
3.45 p.m. Plenary sharing
Saturday, October 18, 2014 9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
9.00 a.m. Opening with a centering practice
9.05 a.m. How do we help people experiencing spiritual struggles:
A student has volunteered for brief spiritual care conversation with both Dr. Pargament and Dr. Doehring about the spiritual struggle or moral stress he wrote about in his journal assignment.
9.45 a.m. Group reflections on how to help those experience spiritual struggles and moral stress.
10.30 a.m. Break
10.45 a.m. Plenary time to reflect together on what we learned about spiritual integration and care
for those experiencing spiritual struggles or moral stress
11.45 p.m. Closing with a centering practice
Noon: Ending
More Course Details
See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.
In the face to face component, Professors Pargament and Doehring will discuss religious struggles and moral stress from psychological and theological perspectives, with opportunity for the online small groups to meet in follow-up sharing groups. In the second day Professors Pargament and Doehring will invite one or two students to have spiritual care conversations with them about their journal assignment, in a fishbowl format that will help us understand what spiritual care looks like.
To experience a three-step process of spiritual integration of religious struggles by:
To increase our capacity as spiritual caregivers who embody compassion and who can guide others through a process of spiritual integration of religious struggles and moral stress that increases well-being of persons and organizations.
Part 1: Journal Assignment, to be posted on Canvas to your care team forum by midnight Sunday, October 5. Prepare your paper in a word document and then cut and paste it into the forum so that your care team members can read it there without opening an attachment.
Part 2: Post responses to all care members of your team by Sunday, October 12th (make sure you respond to postings without responses first, so that every member of the team has at least one response).
Part 3: Post responses to responses by Wednesday Oct 15 midnight
Post your reflections to your care team by midnight, October 26. You may use bullet points.
Incompletes: If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.
Pass/Fail: Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.
Academic Integrity and Community Covenant: All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook, or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook, as appropriate. All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.
Accommodations: Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs. Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146.
Writing Lab: Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments. Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft.
Inclusive Language: It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community.
Degree Learning Goals
MDiv Learning goals related to Theology and Religious Practices (PR):
1. engage in analysis of contemporary religious traditions and institutions
This course explores how religious struggles and moral stress arises from lived theologies—patterns of values, beliefs, and ways of coping energized by shame, guilt, fear of causing harm, or self-disgust. These lived theologies are an aspect of lived religion, which sociologists of religion describe as “the ever-changing, multifaceted, often messy—even contradictory—amalgam of beliefs and practices that are not necessarily those religious institutions consider important”
McGuire, M. B. (2008). Lived religion: Faith and practice in everyday life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, p. 8.
2. in order to assess, design, and perform meaningful leadership practices with sensitivity to contextual realities and relationships.
This course helps spiritual caregivers and religious leaders experience and facilitate spiritual integration of religious struggles and moral stress that enhances self-care, spiritual care, and social justice, through an understanding of how religious struggles and moral stress are exacerbated by intersecting social systems of privilege and disadvantage.
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