Religion is a structured and organized way of expressing our spirituality. Many go to church, synagogue, or temple in order to draw closer to the Holy. Religion is an important part of life because it does attempt to make sense of a life that can be very chaotic at times. The pain and hurt we feel can often times only be expressed and healed as we sit in the presence of our religion; our faith.
As a Baptist minister, I bring a particular spirituality to those I am present with. My faith is grounded in a God of possibilities and great potential. I believe in a God that hears the cries of those on the fringes. I believe that God will not abandon us in our hour of need, no matter what religion we practice. God can work beyond the confines of religion. There are other possible connections that we have with life that draw us toward the Holy, and get us in touch more fully with our spirituality. My mission, as a chaplain, is to explore some of the possibilities of spirituality beyond religion.
It is not uncommon to find me listening to others tell their story. They discuss their life, full of both pain and joy. Through their storytelling they begin to remember other difficult times and what got them through those times. They talk about the support of their family and friends, about their pets, music, walks they have taken, food they love, and books they have read. In one instance, I learned about the love of baseball a gentleman had. He could not talk much, so the visits entailed us sitting in his room, mostly in silence, watching baseball games.
I do not want to discount the importance of religion in our lives. Religion is vital. It is vital to most of those I come into contact with. I am amazed by the power of a prayer. I have witnessed more than one person be in horrible pain, but upon hearing the meditative words of a prayer find relaxation and comfort. Prayer, no matter your religion, connects us deeply with our self; for it is deep within we find the Holy One.
When spirituality is thought of in greater terms than my religion, then working with people who do not have a particular connection to a religion does not pose a problem. There are many other possibilities that can be explored. In fact, with this approach to care, I have discovered some amazing beliefs in people they were too afraid to share because they thought they were “weird.” The miracle that happens here is the movement of an isolated individual into community. The movement of individual out of isolation and into community is my ultimate mission as a chaplain. There is not a whole lot that brings me greater joy, except for maybe my wife and daughter.
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2 comments:
As a Baptist minister, I’m sure you’re familiar with Jesus’ words in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” How do you reconcile this verse with the idea that “God will not abandon us in our hour of need, no matter what religion we practice”?
My father is a Methodist minister, so religion has always played a pretty big role in my life. I know he worked very hard (and still does) to balance his "father" role with his "minister" role, to avoid putting our family on display as "the minister's family." I was able to avoid a lot of the stigmas and pitfalls of PKs as a result. How do you balance your role as a chaplain with your personal life?
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