Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying
Thesis (M. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2011
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614106475823104 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Eichhorn, Eva Christina |
| author2 | Louw, D. J. (Daniel Johannes), 1944- |
| author_browse | Eichhorn, Eva Christina Louw, D. J. (Daniel Johannes), 1944- |
| author_facet | Louw, D. J. (Daniel Johannes), 1944- Eichhorn, Eva Christina |
| author_sort | Eichhorn, Eva Christina |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (M. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17748 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:45.739Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publishDateRange | 2011 |
| publishDateSort | 2011 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17748 Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying Eichhorn, Eva Christina Louw, D. J. (Daniel Johannes), 1944- Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology. AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Terminal care Pastoral care Theses -- Practical theology Dissertations -- Practical theology Thesis (M. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis introduces a spiritual understanding of terminal care as life care within a pastoral approach to death and dying. The presupposition is that life and death are unavoidably connected, and that a meaningful approach to death and dying in terms of a Christian theological hermeneutics needs to start with the question “What is life?” The concept of a theological hermeneutics serves as an overall paradigm, which is implied within the interplay of life and death. The aim of a hermeneutical approach is to find meaning in living and dying in the fundamental God-human relationship. The eschatological perspective plays a significant role, as it emphasises the already and not yet of eschatology that become evident in every life event. An analysis of the theoretical paradigms and philosophical presuppositions behind a widespread “psychology of death and dying” shows that the phenomenological, client-centred models suffer from an overreliance on inner human potentials in coping with dying. Although these models provide valuable insights into the needs of the dying, they fail to equip individuals with a meaningful paradigm that lasts despite the reality of death. As a result, I propose a “theology of death and dying” that opts for a much more holistic approach to terminal care. Based on the impact of a Christian spiritual concept of life and a pastoral anthropology on a pastoral approach to terminal care, I argue that we do not have to cope with dying by ourselves but can trust in the faithfulness of God who will keep us strong to the end (1 Cor 1:8). As fear of death can effectively only be coped with by caring for life, pastoral care to the dying needs to emphasise the fundamental God-human relationship that guarantees life in spite of death. A unique stance of hope follows from a Christian spiritual understanding of life that overcomes the paradigmatic gap left by psychological approaches to death and dying, and makes us aware that the new life in the Spirit is a quality that we already possess. Eventually, the life care approach is applied to a pastoral prevention strategy in the context of the HIV pandemic. I argue the thesis that prevailing HIV prevention programmes suffer from a lack of an overall frame of reference from which to reflect on the necessity for behavioural change. To fill this gap, a spiritual life care approach to the HIV pandemic emphasises the development of a Christian ethos based on an internalised assurance of the purpose and destiny of human life, which can function as an overall paradigm behind a prevention strategy. This pastoral prevention strategy is based on the assumption that positive change, the anticipation of a better future and true hope derive from an understanding of who we are as human beings before and in relationship with God. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis stel ʼn spirituele begrip van terminale sorg as lewensorg binne ʼn pastorale benadering tot dood en sterfte bekend. Die voorveronderstelling is dat lewe en dood onlosmaakbaar verbind is, en dat ʼn betekenisvolle benadering tot dood en sterfte in terme van ʼn Christelike teologiese hermeneutiek met die vraag “Wat is lewe?” ’n aanvang moet neem. Die konsep van teologiese hermeneutiek dien as 'n oorkoepelende paradigma, wat geïmpliseer word binne die wisselwerking van lewe en dood met die doelwit om betekenis te vind in lewe en dood in die fundamentele Godmens- verhouding. ’n Eskatologiese perspektief speel ’n beduidende rol, aangesien dit die alreeds en die nog nie van eskatologie beklemtoon, wat in elke lewensgebeurtenis duidelik word. ’n Ontleding van die teoretiese paradigmas en filosofiese voorveronderstellings rakende die wydverspreide “sielkunde van dood en sterfte” toon aan dat die fenomenologiese, kliëntgesentreerde modelle gebrek lei as gevolg van hul heftige aanspraak op die innerlike menslike potensiaal om sterfte te hanteer. Alhoewel hierdie modelle kosbare insigte ten opsigte van die behoeftes van die sterwendes bied, faal hulle daarin om individue toe te rus met ’n betekenisvolle paradigma wat volhoubaar is, afgesien van die werklikheid van die dood. Ek staan dus ’n “teologie van dood en sterfte” voor wat ’n veel meer holistiese benadering tot terminale sorg meebring. Gegrond op die impak van ’n Christelike, spirituele konsep van lewe en ’n pastorale antropologie op ’n pastorale benadering tot terminale sorg, argumenteer ek dat ons nie nodig het om die dood op ons eie te hanteer nie omdat ons op die getrouheid van God, wat ons sterk sal hou tot die einde (1 Kor 1:8), kan vertrou. Aangesien die vrees vir die dood slegs deur die omgee vir lewe hanteer kan word, is dit noodsaaklik dat pastorale sorg aan die sterwende die God-mens-verhouding, wat lewe te midde van dood waarborg, beklemtoon. ’n Unieke gesigspunt van hoop volg vanuit ’n Christelike, spirituele begrip van lewe, wat die paradigmatiese gaping wat gelaat word deur psigologiese benaderings tot dood en sterfte vul. Dit maak ons bewus dat die nuwe lewe in die Gees ’n kwaliteit is wat ons alreeds besit. Die lewensorg-benadering word uiteindelik in ’n pastorale voorkomingstrategie in die konteks van die MIV-pandemie toegepas. Ek argumenteer in die tesis dat heersende MIV-voorkomingsprogramme gestrem word deur ’n tekort aan ’n algehele verwysingsraamwerk, vanwaar oor die noodsaaklikheid van gedragsverandering nagedink kan word. Om hierdie gaping te vul, stel ek ’n spirituele lewensorg-benadering voor, wat die ontwikkeling van ’n Christelike etos beklemtoon, gegrond op ’n inwendige sekerheid van die doel en bestemming van menslike lewe, wat as ’n algehele paradigma vir ’n pastorale voorkomingstrategie kan funksioneer. Hierdie voorkomingstrategie is gegrond op die veronderstelling dat positiewe verandering, die verwagting van ’n beter toekoms, en ware hoop voortspruit uit ’n begrip van wie ons as mense voor en in verhouding met God is. Master 2011-11-22T09:29:36Z 2011-11-22T09:29:36Z 2007-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17748 en_ZA Stellenbosch University viii, 260 leaves application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Terminal care Pastoral care Theses -- Practical theology Dissertations -- Practical theology Eichhorn, Eva Christina Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title | Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title_full | Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title_fullStr | Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title_full_unstemmed | Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title_short | Terminal care as life care : a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| title_sort | terminal care as life care a pastoral approach to death and dying |
| topic | AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Terminal care Pastoral care Theses -- Practical theology Dissertations -- Practical theology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17748 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eichhornevachristina terminalcareaslifecareapastoralapproachtodeathanddying |