The Rev. Stephen Harding on belief systems

From Copernicus to Newton…

One of the things that constantly surprises and delights me is the manifestation of belief by our patients and our families. To talk to people from many denominations—from ultra-orthodox Hasids and Eastern Orthodox Christians to Wiccans and Secular Humanists—is to marvel at the scope and breadth of humanity’s belief.

Recently, I gave my youngest nephew (he’s five) a glow-in-the-dark model of the solar system that came with planets, which, with his two brothers, we hung from their ceiling, and stars, which we scattered on every available surface of their room. Looking at the constellations that we had made, my mind jumped from the constellation of the stars to the ‘family constellations’ that I see during the week as Chaplain.

Moving from the solar system through family constellations to the variety of religious experience (thank you, William James) that I encounter at the hospital, it is difficult for me to accept that my former interdisciplinary teams (IDT) had met the patient and families’ spiritual or religious needs by asking, “What religion are you?”, “Are you religious?”, and, “Do you want to see the Chaplain?”

In an effort to go much deeper than these three questions, I ask the members of the IDT to tell me about the patient’s belief system, which is a different way of addressing the spiritual needs of the patient.

As Chaplain, I find that when I ask the question, “Tell me about your belief system…”, the door is open for the patient (and/or family) to share what they believe, why they believe it, why what they believe is important to them, how they live out their belief, and how what they believe is sustaining them or not in their medical treatment and plan.

Additionally, “What is your belief system?” provides the opportunity for organized religion, personal spiritual practices and rituals, non-traditional religion, and non-religious beliefs to be explored in a non-judgmental and accepting way.

Asking about a person’s belief system gives me a much better tool as Chaplain. I am now in the position of wanting to learn about them instead of being ‘the priest,’ which sometimes comes with overtones of power and projection. In wanting to know about their belief system, I am in the position of fellow traveler and explorer with them, as opposed to being on the outside, doing to them.

Finally, I prefer this question because if I am to be their spiritual resource and guide while they are in the hospital, then I think I should understand what their own inner landscape looks like, so that I can better help them avoid spiritual pitfalls and remind them of the resources of what they believe.

Sitting with my nephews in the dark, we watched the glowing luminescence of the planets’ bodies and the constellations of stars gradually reveal themselves. The solar system was beautiful, and it was a moment of shared discovery and joy. May your explorations of others’ belief systems be as filled with a sense of wonder and beauty as I have had.

 

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