Spiritual Care und Seelsorge: zwei Namen – eine Aufgabe?

This article analyzes the relationship between spiritual care and denominational chaplaincy in hospitals and highlights their respective added value. While spiritual care is an interprofessional, pluralistic task that encompasses all healthcare professionals and addresses the spiritual and existential needs of all patients, denominational chaplaincy represents a specialized, religiously based form of spiritual care that focuses on the specific beliefs and rituals of a particular faith community. The article emphasizes the importance of multiprofessional collaboration, in which both approaches contribute their respective strengths to ensure holistic care. It becomes clear that spiritual care offers a broader, inclusive perspective, while chaplaincy retains its particular expertise in religious counceling. The discussion underscores the need to consider both forms and to strengthen their roles in healthcare in order to meet the diverse spiritual needs of patients.