Spiritual Care for Everyone? An Analysis of Personal and Organizational Differences in Perceptions of Religious Diversity among Spiritual Caregivers

Anke I. Liefbroer, Joantine Berghuijs

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In multicultural and multifaith societies spiritual caregivers increasingly meet clients with diverse (non-)religious or spiritual orientations. We investigate how this religious and spiritual (R/S) diversity is dealt with by spiritual caregivers working in healthcare settings, the military, and prisons. Based on a survey among spiritual caregivers (n = 208) in a secularized, European country (The Netherlands), this study shows how spiritual caregivers’ personal as well as organizational factors relate to attitudes to R/S diversity. Spiritual caregivers who draw from several religious traditions in their lives have more positive views on spiritual caregiving to patients with another R/S orientation than theirs than those drawing from none or a singular tradition. Furthermore, authorization by a religious or Humanistic institution seldom relates to how R/S diversity is perceived, but the position of spiritual caregivers within various organizational settings and the way in which spiritual caregivers work does.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)110-129
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Health Care Chaplaincy
Volume25
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • interfaith
  • multiple religious belonging
  • organization
  • religious diversity
  •   Spiritual care

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