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Advocacy
 

Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker on being everyone’s chaplain

OUR UNIQUE ROLES AS CHAPLAINS/PASTORAL CAREGIVERS

Exodus 28 focuses on the special clothing worn by the high priest, and concentrates on those who do the day-to-day work of representing the people before God in terms of approaching the sanctuary. In those descriptions, there are special messages for chaplains/pastoral caregivers.

Verse 6 ff. depicts the ephod and suggests that this garment has two shoulder straps. On each strap is one lapis lazuli (or onyx) stone, each one bears half the names of the tribes of Israel.

In our context, it is instructive that within this society it is the designated religious figure – if you will, the chaplain/pastoral caregiver – who carries the burden of the community on his/her shoulders. In her or his work, the chaplain/pastoral caregiver always tries to keep the broad picture, the total community, in mind. We are everyone’s chaplain/pastoral caregiver; we deal with all of the people, irrespective of their particular tribe (the Christian tribe, the Jewish tribe, the Buddhist tribe, the Muslim tribe, the Secular tribe, the No Religion Listed tribe, etc.)

Then, a few verses on, Exodus 28:15 ff. describes the breastplate, with its twelve individual stones, each containing the name of but one tribe. Aaron wears the breastplate over his heart when he enters the sanctuary and encounters God (v. 29). In like manner, as chaplains/pastoral caregivers, while we represent – and need to be open to – the community as a whole, when we are in a personal encounter with a specific person, like those individual stones, we focus on that individual. We are with them in their individuality. We encounter them on a one-to-one basis.

In the best possible way, we apply a both/and methodology to our sacred work and not the narrower view of an either/or approach. We are there for the community when that is appropriate, and we focus on each person in her/his need when that is required of us.

Sacred Source of blessing, encourage us in our daily activities to find the ongoing strength to shoulder the burden of community, and inspire within us the compassion to value each individual whom we encounter, so that we will honor Your name and Your special place in our world. Amen.

Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker, BCC, a member of the Advisory Board of PlainViews, is Director of Spiritual Care at Shalom Park, a senior continuum of care center in Aurora, CO. He serves on the NAJC’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee and has Chaired (or Co-Chaired with Rabbi Bonita E Taylor) the last eight NAJC annual conferences, including the 2003 EPIC Cognate Chaplains’ conference in Toronto where he served as Chair of the Executive Planning Committee. Paulist Press published David’s new book, The Torah: An Introduction for Christians and Jews, in 2005.

Do you have thoughts about advocacy you’d like to share with your colleagues? Send an e-mail to info@PlainViews.org.


1/4/2006 Vol. 2, No. 23 - Dr. George A. Langhorne: communities that share a common commitment
12/21/2005 Vol. 2, No. 22 - The Rev. Dr. Larry J. Austin: recognizing our worth
12/7/2005 Vol. 2, No. 21 - Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker: appropriate chaplain boundaries
11/16/2005 Vol. 2, No. 20 - Chaplain Anne Vandenhoeck: the European Union and its impact on chaplains
11/2/2005 Vol. 2, No. 19 - John Paul Stangle: straddling cognate group fences
10/19/2005 Vol. 2, No. 18 - The Rev. Rachel K. Taber-Hamilton: developing a pastoral care program
10/5/2005 Vol. 2, No. 17 - The Rev. Emanuel Williams: evangelizing v. proselytizing
9/21/2005 Vol. 2, No. 16 - Christopher De Bono: being spiritual but not religious
9/7/2005 Vol. 2, No. 15 - The Rev. Martha R. Jacobs: taking a close look at ourselves
8/17/2005 Vol. 2, No. 14 - The Rev. Stephen R. Harding: using our own language
8/3/2005 Vol. 2, No. 13 - Chaplain Richard Lopez: pastoral care as a budget line item
7/20/2005 Vol. 2, No. 12 - Chaplain Edward Williamson: an acceptable weekly workload
7/6/2005 Vol. 2, No. 11 - The Rev. Steve Rice: proposed reforms for Spiritual Care
6/15/2005 Vol. 2, No. 10 - The Rev. Stephen R. Harding: moving away from ‘spirituality’
6/1/2005 Vol. 2, No. 9 - Rabbi Nathan Goldberg: the next great frontier of chaplaincy
5/18/2005 Vol. 2, No. 8 - The Rev. Susan Wintz: a different way to look at JCAHO
5/4/2005 Vol. 2, No. 7 - The Rev. Carl Aiken: cousins –one relative's view
4/20/2005 Vol. 2, No. 6 - The Rev. A. Meigs Ross: promoting diversity in the supervisory ranks of CPE
4/6/2005 Vol. 2, No. 5 - The Rev. Dr. Walter J. Smith, S.J. : identity and ongoing efforts to trust each other
3/16/2005 Vol. 2, No. 4 - The Rev. Earl Johnson: chaplaincy in disaster –how we prepare ourselves
3/2/2005 Vol. 2, No. 3 - The Rev. John D. Emmart: seeing the sameness in each other
2/16/2005 Vol. 2, No. 2 - Chaplain Jim Rowland:  a Professional Effort Toward the Process at Life's End
2/2/2005 Vol. 2, No. 1 - The Rev. Yoke-Lye Lim: Being Pastoral Caregivers for Our Global Neighbors
1/19/2005 Vol. 1, No. 24 - The Rev. Martha R. Jacobs: Advocating for the Staff
1/5/2005 Vol. 1, No. 23 - The Rev. Margaret Crowl: Breaking in a New Boss
12/15/2004 Vol. 1, No. 22 - The Rev. George Handzo: A View from Portland (In Response to Father Joe
 Driscoll)
12/1/2004 Vol. 1, No. 21 - The Rev. Dick Cathell & The Rev. Russell Myers: The Role of Advocacy in
Endorsement
11/17/2004 Vol. 1, No. 20 - Chaplain Melvin Ray: Retaining Faith So That You Will Prevail in the End
11/3/2004 Vol. 1, No. 19 - Jamal Ghani: The Importance of Having a Place to Pray
10/20/2004 Vol. 1, No. 18 - Frederick A. Smith, MD: estabishing a pastoral care department at a large
 metropolitan hospital
10/6/2004 Vol. 1, No. 17 - Chaplain David Plummer: the bad theology of some clergy
9/16/2004 Vol. 1, No. 16 - The Rev. Joseph J. Driscoll: heeding the signs of the times
9/1/2004 Vol. 1, No. 15 - Withrow, B.S.N. & Craig E. Litz, MD: Chaplains and Institutional Review Boards
8/18/2004 Vol. 1, No. 14 - The Rev. Dr. Eric Smith: Gaining Administrative Support Part II
8/4/2004 Vol. 1, No. 13 - The Rev. Dr. Eric Smith: Gaining Administrative Support Part  I
7/21/2004 Vol. 1, No. 12 - Anne Underwood, M.S., J.D. introduces EthicsWalk, a new PlainViews column
7/7/2004 Vol. 1, No. 11 - Chaplain Gerald Ash on Supporting an Ethical Care Environment
6/16/2004 Vol. 1, No. 10 - The Rev. Russell Myers on Surveys and Outcome-based Pastoral Care
6/2/2004 Vol. 1, No. 9 - The Rev. Lerrill White provides a working definition of advocacy
5/19/2004 Vol. 1, No. 8 - Chaplain David Plummer: Struggles of an Evangelical Chaplain
5/5/2004 Vol. 1, No. 7 - Chaplain Jane Mather continues her discussion of HIPPA and Advocacy
4/21/2004 Vol. 1, No. 6 - Chaplain Jane Mather: HIPAA – Empowering the Patient
4/7/2004 Vol. 1, No. 5 - The Reverend Lerrill White: Clergy and the IRS – A reply
3/17/2004 Vol. 1, No. 4 - The Rev. Lerrill J. White on the clergy housing allowance and IRS status
3/3/2004 Vol. 1, No. 3 - The Rev. Susan Wintz: Education is the best advocate for professional chaplaincy
in healthcare institutions
2/18/2004 Vol. 1, No. 2 - The Rev. Lerrill White, Ph.D.: HIPAA and PIPEDA Privacy Regulations
2/2/2004 Vol. 1, No. 1 - The Rev. Lerrill White, Ph.D.: Opposing viewpoints on federal healthcare funding
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1/18/2006 Vol. 2, No. 24
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Professional Practice
Patricia Baldwin, OT: a meaningful process for therapy
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Advocacy
Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker: being everyone's chaplain
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Education & Research
Rabbi Gene Kwalwasser: the commonality of religious practices
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Spiritual Development
The Rev. Dr. William Zeckhausen: a valuable lesson for a young minister
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EthicsWalk
Responses to Anne Underwood, MS, JD: Theology, Science, and The First Amendment - Part 1: Constitutional Issues
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CaseConference
Case #4
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Reviews
Sarah Masters reviews: Devil's Playground

Joan Paddock Maxwell: Intensive Care: A Doctor's Journal
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