Pastoral Work and Oppression

WEEK 10

Week 10

Pastoral care incorporates care for all people involved in any form of oppression. Sensitive pastoral caregiving could come in handy in efforts to contain violence and thereafter promote peace. It would be prudent to note that contained violence shields and obscures oppression. Pastoral caregivers should intervene in diverse formats to aid and equip persons who are at risk of being discriminated against. Lamentation in pastoral care is used to express pain or any form of oppression, whereby lament is practiced as a way of confronting a specific form of injustice. Through laments, pastoral caregivers cry out to God to provide justice to the oppressed. Further, on this front, the oppressed are equipped to move on following traumatic experiences.

People with disabilities are at increased risk of injustices in form of social oppression. To rein in the said form of oppression, pastoral care could rope in teachings on ableism which is a form of ministry that focuses on needs of persons living with disabilities. From a Biblical perspective, the aim of the church is to care for people which includes those with disabilities. The said care should also extend to empowerment. With regard to transgender people, pastoral caregivers are encouraged to accompany the said people spiritually, which helps improve their mental health and wellbeing. Essentially, pastoral caregivers should help fight against serotypes that could have a negative impact on the wellbeing of transgender people. From a hospice perspective, death happens to be the end of life here on earth. For this reason, pastoral caregivers ought to focus on the spiritual dimension other than on matters earthly.