Meaning and Natural Life

How Spiritual Care is Redefined in the Secular Context

Authors

  • Christopher Turner Stirling Theological College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.38581

Keywords:

spirituality, secular, non-religious, nature, care

Abstract

Employing the praxis method of theological reflection, this article draws on a spiritual care encounter with a person holding a worldview derived from an empirical approach to the natural world, in order to reflect on the nature of non-religious spirituality and its implications for the spiritual care sector. Non-religious spirituality is examined as a genuine form of spirituality. The hypothesis that the genuine nature of non-religious spirituality necessarily suggests that non-religious people can both receive and provide spiritual care is presented. Healthy secularity is examined as the underlying sociocultural condition for non-religious spiritual care to be recognized in a sector currently dominated by religious assumptions. The study concludes with a call to spiritual care educators and accrediting bodies in the Australian context to begin working toward a secular perspective that is inclusive of non-religious spirituality and spiritual care. The conclusions of the article will have significance for the global spiritual care community, particularly in countries recording increases in populations identifying as non-religious.

Author Biography

  • Christopher Turner, Stirling Theological College

    Dr. Christopher Turner is a Lecturer in Pastoral Theology and Spiritual Care at Stirling Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne, Australia. Christopher has over 20 years’ experience as a Baptist Minister and Spiritual Care Practitioner in the contexts of faith community care, aged care, and crisis care for people seeking asylum.

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Published

2021-02-25

How to Cite

Turner, C. (2021). Meaning and Natural Life: How Spiritual Care is Redefined in the Secular Context. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 9(1), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.38581

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