What Is the Role of Pragmatism Practical Consideration in Pastoral Ethics?

Pastoral Ethics

"A pragmatic approach is a theoretical integration that attempts to bring various theories together through the development of a theoretical framework that can explain the environmental, motivational, cognitive and affective domains of the individual… [hence] with psychologists, truth is changeable… [and] new truth replaces old truth as new truth is theorized, conceived, or discovered…" (Kanu, 2011, Practical Roles of Pragmatism in Pastoral Counseling Ethics).

The Role of Pragmatism in Pastoral Ethics

Pragmatism in pastoral ethics should be embraced by preachers every Sunday -- or on Sabbath mornings, if the church observes Saturday as the day of worship -- which means that the pastor is basically being careful to not delve into subjects that are to controversial and may offend some in the congregation. This paper discusses pragmatism and ethics in pastoral situations.

Martha Ellen Stortz explains in her peer-reviewed article that two years after the terrorist attacks on the United States there were some preachers that were talking about the war that President Bush had launched into Iraq, and some were not. Stortz noted a journalist for the San Jose Mercury had spend "several Sundays visiting parishes and congregations throughout the Silicon Valley" (Stortz, 2003, p. 351).

In the Roman Catholic services, and in the evangelical Protestant services, there were discussions from the pulpit and from the congregation about the war that Bush had launched; but in the "mainstream Protestant congregations, "…there was silence," Stortz reports. As to those preachers that ignored the war topic, Stortz wondered if they perhaps were "…paralyzed by the fear that whatever they said would split the congregation?" (351). Or were they in fear of "browbeating" their congregation because the "bully pulpit" can be seen as a bullying act?

Meanwhile, is it a pragmatic thing to do for a pastor or priest to discuss current events (war, racism, the economy, etc.) during a church service? Stortz references the ethical viewpoints of Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, who offered this advice to anyone speaking in a public format: "Act so that the maxim of your action should become a universal law" (Stortz, 352). Easy for Kant to say, but Stortz notes that in the realm of pastor ethics, the preacher with a bible in his right hand and a newspaper in his left hand, who offers "fiery social justice tirades" is not doing his congregation any favors. That said, Stortz insists there is "a place for politics" from the pulpit, albeit some good advice can be found by reading Psalm 46:11: "Be still and know that I am God! (354).

The Role of Evidence in Creating an Ethically Persuasive Plan of Action

In the Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling the authors point out that pastoral counselors get caught "…in the middle of the theological debates" when official pronouncements and policies of the church differ from their own views. As a way to gather evidence to be sure they are being ethical and informed, specialists in pastoral counseling "…have often taken extra courses or workshops on human sexuality, sexual ethics, and biblical exegesis" (Wicks, et al., 2003, p. 153). To be educated with reference to the very complex issues that are involved in contemporary society -- as opposed to "…making sweeping statements about sin or broad ethical judgments concerning homosexuality," for example -- pastoral counselors need to do their homework (Wicks, 153). Moreover, a counselor may be far more understanding of the gay lifestyle and hence comfortable with gay and lesbian clients, in sharp contrast to the positions of the Roman Catholic Church, or evangelical Protestant churches, to name two faiths that officially frown on gay rights, gay marriages, and the gay lifestyle per se.