The role of worldview in the profession of chaplain is becoming increasingly ambiguous
In the work of chaplains, worldview is increasingly becoming an area of ambiguity, tension and debate, as Iris Wierstra discovered. At the same time, she shows that it is possible to address worldview in a structured way. On 11 February, she defended her thesis Healthcare chaplaincy’s professionalism: Navigating the ambiguous and contested role of worldview at the University of Humanistic Studies.
Traditionally, worldview has been central to chaplaincy. However, this role is becoming increasingly diffuse in the Netherlands. This is not only due to secularisation, but also because society is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of worldviews. Meanwhile, there is increasing reflection on the professionalism of the profession.
Iris Wierstra researched the relationship between worldview and professionalism in chaplaincy in Dutch healthcare and developed a discussion model to address worldview in a structured manner.
Contradictory
She examined the relationship between professionalism and worldview at three levels:
- the macro level of discourses in chaplaincy education
- the meso level of chaplainy teams
- the micro level of practices of chaplains with clients
Wierstra demonstrates in her thesis that there is no clear-cut relationship between worldview and professionalism at any of these levels. Worldview is a constantly contested area of ambiguity, tension and debate, which shapes professionalism in different ways at the various levels of the profession. For example, there are conflicting views on whether chaplaincy should be provided from specific philosophical traditions or from a “neutral” position. Training programmes educate chaplains differently in this regard, which can lead to tension within the profession.
In dialogue with your life story
In addition, the researcher shows that worldview and professionalism can indeed come together in a structured working method for chaplains. She developed the conversation model ‘In Dialoog met je Levensverhaal’ (In Dialogue With Your Life Story) and investigated its effectiveness and the experiences of chaplains.
Chaplains noticed that the structured nature of the model leaves room for both the client’s and their own philosophy of life. It also appears to be important to recognise differences in perspectives and to engage in dialogue about them. This allows shared values to become visible.