Abstract
Currently, the media is creating an illusion of youthful wellbeing: ‘healthism’. But is life merely about physical health? What is meant by spiritual healing in pastoral caregiving? By means of the ontology of life and an existential analysis of the structure of being, a grid is developed in order to make a pastoral diagnosis regarding the interplay between different aspects and dimensions of the category life. It is argued that, seeing the bigger picture in a pastoral hermeneutics of life, contributes to spiritual healing (cura vitae). The basic assumption is that cura animarum should be designed in theory formation in pastoral caregiving as follows: faith care as life care. It is, in this respect, that the Christian spiritual categories of anastrephō, peripateō and hodos can be used in practical theological reflection to describe praxis in practical theology as fides quaerens vivendi [faith seeking lifestyles]. A spirituality of lifestyles points to habitus [human soulfulness] as new modes of ‘walking with God’ and ‘living with God’ (pneumatological praxis of God). Fides quaerens viviendi should be exemplified by a taxonomy of virtues.
Highlights
The notions of helping and healing have become burning issues in personal and social well-being
Healthism represents a focus on optimum performance and efficiency in all aspects of life
To ‘see’ the ‘bigger picture’ in life care is the first step towards a comprehensive understanding of healing in pastoral caregiving
Summary
The notions of helping and healing have become burning issues in personal and social well-being. Besides the Hebrew dimension of soul as a qualitative mode of living within the dynamics of relationships (to love God and fellow human beings), habitus is a most helpful term, because it describes a qualitative mode of being and a responsiveness to the demands of life that can contribute to change and healing (spiritual wholeness).
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