Re-Discovery of Silence in Pastoral Care

Abstract

Pastoral care within the greater American cultural milieu strongly appraises the use of spoken words and tends to undervalue silence as a powerful and creative element for mutual connection with others and with God. In this essay the author proposes a “counter-cultural” adjustment in the perception of silence and its implications to the practice of, and theological understanding of, pastoral care. The author bases his theses on his own cross-cultural learning experiences, including his training in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), in the re-vitalization of ancient Christian wisdom, and in his current ministry to nursing home residents.