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Embracing the Many Tongues Within by Phung Banh

PS-3377: Spiritual Care for/with Marginalized Bodies (1.50 or 3.0 credits)Spring 2022 Syllabus

Instructor: The Rev. Aizaiah G. Yong, PhD (ayong@psr.edu)Class Meets every Wednesday: 8:10 am-11:00 am (PST)

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Course DescriptionPart 1: Congregational Leadership Track (meets first 7 weeks)

● This course aims to ground the practice of spiritual care in the healing andliberation of marginalized bodies and communities. This course privilegesintersectional and interspiritual approaches to spiritual care and asks students tocreate their own theology or philosophy of spiritual care that aims for collectiveflourishing. Students will be evaluated through class participation, a cumulativefinal project, and a class presentation relating to the final project. The courseassumes students have completed an introduction to pastoral care course andaims to deepen their imagination of pastoral care sensibilities and possibilities ina variety of contexts. This course is intended for students who have alreadycompleted an introduction to spiritual/pastoral care course and fulfills the 3rd yearrequirement for MDiv students in the congregational track.

Part 2: Chaplaincy Track● “Chaplaincy is the practical application of the spiritual dimensions of

compassion.” This course seeks to deepen essential spiritual caregivingcapacities and investigates ways to best provide spiritual care for marginalizedpopulations in a variety of contexts: such as in healthcare, universities,corrections, the military, and others. This course is intended for students whohave already completed an introduction to spiritual/pastoral care course andfulfills the 3rd year requirement for MDiv students in the chaplaincy track.

Student Learning OutcomesThrough their work in this course, students will learn to:

1. Reflect on the various dynamics of interlocking oppressions that stifle humanflourishing.

2. Analyze opportunities and challenges facing spiritual care providers seeking totend to communities experiencing marginalization.

3. Articulate a theology or philosophy of spiritual care that includes explicitengagement with diverse peoples, communities, and traditions.

4. Identify essential capacities and practices to support and sustain the work ofspiritual care.

Course Requirements:● Class Participation (15%): Students will be expected to honor the class covenant,

attend class consistently (with no more than two absences), lead or co-lead oneopening centering moment, and engage in an equitable manner within theclassroom activities and discussion. Learning Outcome #4

● Spiritual Care Journal (30%): Each week (graded as complete/incomplete)students will come to class having already submitted a short reflection (around100 words) via moodle responding to the following prompts:

o What is one question you have from engaging this week’s materials?o What is one quote that stuck out to you from this week’s materials?o What invigorates you in the material?

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o What is challenging you in the material?Learning Outcome #1

● Spiritual Care Professional Portfolio (20%, for chaplaincy track students only):This project’s purpose is to create a professional portfolio specifically highlightingkey chaplaincy related competencies of the student. Students should base theirportfolio on the common qualifications and competencies for chaplains. Thestudent will begin by researching 3-5 chaplaincy positions or (types of chaplains)and create a tailored portfolio based on them. This project should also include abiographical cover letter showcasing their unique vocational commitments andaspirations related to spiritual care. This portion will be graded ascomplete/incomplete.

o Resource: What is a Professional Portfolio?Learning Outcome #4

● Final Project & Presentation (Rubric at end of Syllabus):o For Congregational Track Students (55%): This interdisciplinary project will

weave together insights gained from the course and culminate in your ownintegrated theology or philosophy of spiritual care. This project shouldclearly highlight the students’ definition of care in relationship to personalspiritual non/tradition, what the purpose(s) of care is/are, and elementsthat would both resource care and make care effective on a collectivelevel. Projects are expected to be completed in one of the followingmediums:

▪ A 30 slide PowerPoint▪ A 10-12-page paper▪ A curriculum to train other spiritual care givers▪ A digital media campaign offering practices, resources, and helpful

information about providing spiritual care around a particular issueLearning Outcome #2 & #3

o For Chaplaincy Track Students (35%): This interdisciplinary projectrequires that you find one professional spiritual care provider to interview.The student will prepare questions for the practitioner that stem from theirown theoretical foundations, practical skills as a caregiver, professionalaspirations, and institutional curiosities. After the interview, students willshare their own findings about themselves, their interviewee, and thepractice of spiritual care in a particular context. This project should clearlyhighlight the students’ definition of care in relationship to personal spiritualnon/tradition, what the purpose(s) of care is/are, and elements that wouldboth resource care and make care effective across lines of difference.Projects are expected to be completed in one of the following mediums:

▪ A 30 slide PowerPoint▪ A 10-12-page paper▪ A Website PageLearning Outcome #2 & #3

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To earn one and a half (1.5) credit hours for this course, students are expected tospend, over the course of the seven week period, approximately 20 hours of in-classengagement (interacting with the instructor’s presentations, their colleagues, andparticipating in group activities) and 60 hours outside of class with the readings andmaterials.

To earn three (3) credit hours for this course, students are expected to spend, over thecourse of the fifteen week period, approximately 45 hours of in-class engagement(interacting with the instructor’s presentations, their colleagues, and participating ingroup activities) and 135 hours outside of class with the readings and materials.

COURSE EVALUATIONThe goal in evaluation is to determine whether the student has engaged effectively withthe course material and learning objectives. Grades are pedagogical tools to indicatewhether or not the instructor believes students have demonstrated an effectiveengagement with course material. To serve those pedagogical purposes, an “A” oughtto mean more than “adequate” and should indicate excellence. The following is theinstructor’s interpretation of PSR’s policy concerning letter grades (see the PSR policypage: https://psr.edu/student-life/student-policies/).

A Excellent work that exceeds expectations by demonstrating a creative andcritically constructive engagement with the material.

B Good and proficient work that meets expectations based on the learningoutcomes.

C Potentially passable work but does not meet expectations effectively or indemonstrable ways for achieving the learning outcomes.

COURSE POLICIES

PlagiarismPlagiarism is the presentation of another’s ideas, methods, research, or words withoutproper acknowledgement. It runs the gamut from failing to cite a reference (sloppyscholarship), to passing off another’s work as one’s own. It includes close paraphrasingas well as lifting of entire lines nearly verbatim without acknowledgement. As theeffects of the plagiarism will be the same regardless of intent, intent will not beconstrued as essential to the act, although it may be considered in determining whetherthe charge of plagiarism should be pursued or what the penalty may be. For generalrequirements for proper acknowledgement in written work, see the most current editionof Kate Turabian, Manual for the Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations andThe Chicago Manual of Style.

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Arrangements in Cases of Documented DisabilityIf you will need special arrangements for meeting course requirements for reasons ofdocumented disability, please speak to one of the instructors very early in the term sothat appropriate arrangements can be made. Students who may requireaccommodations for specific disabilities should contact the Accessibility ResourceOfficer at PSR. Appropriate forms to request such accommodations may be found athttps://www.psr.edu/student-life/accessibility/.

A NOTE ON SELF-CARE AND DIFFICULT TOPICSReligious studies and the divinity disciplines in a theological education invite our wholeselves into the classroom and often demand a challenging integration of our emotional,intellectual, and bodily histories. It is not uncommon for students to confront painfulissues as they engage with this kind of education, whether in terms of sexual trauma,domestic violence, the effects of racism and white supremacy, and other difficult topics.Students are encouraged in this class to attend carefully to self-care around theseissues and to note that while PSR can suggest resources for such care, neither theinstructor in this course nor the school more generally can provide therapeuticinterventions or psychological counseling.

Required Course Materials:● Thomas Hubl, Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating our

Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Louisville, CO. SoundsTrue, 2020.9781683647379.

● Ruth King, Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out. Louisville,CO. SoundsTrue. 2018. 1683640810.

● Ejeris Dixon & Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Beyond Survival:Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement. Chico, CA. AKPress. 2020. 9781849353625

*Also Required for Chaplaincy Track Students: Wendy Cadge and Shelly Rambo,Introduction to Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care. UNC Press. 2022. Forthcoming.

Weekly Schedule:Week 1 Cultivating Capacities to Care

● James Finley, “Bonus: Sink Into the Taproot of Your Heart” Podcast (Listen tominutes 1:55-25:00 called)

● Raimon Panikkar, “Privileged Places for the Experience of God: Suffering inSpirituality Part 2” & “The Other is a Part of Us” in Pluralism and Interculturality

● Ruth King, “Wholeness is No Trifling Matter”

Week 2 Spiritual Care as Tending to Personal & Interpersonal Trauma● Thomas Hubl, Healing Collective Trauma● Listen to “Compassionate Presence” from the Spiritual Care Podcast

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● Watch “Trauma and Spiritual Care”

Week 3 Spiritual Care as Tending to Organizational & Collective Trauma● Thomas Hubl, Healing Collective Trauma● Watch “On Healing Racialized Trauma” by Resmaa Menakem● Listen to “Collective Healing” by Dr. Angel Acosta

Week 4 Expanding Resources that Support Care● Ruth King, Mindful of Race● Rhonda Magee and Angel Acosta, “The Inner and Outer Work of Radical Healing

in Our Times”● Thich Nhat Hanh, “Transforming Our Compost”

Week 5 Caring Collectively: Lessons on Spiritual Care from TransformativeJustice

● Dixon & Lakshmi, Beyond Survival● Listen to “The Axial Moment of Healing” by James Finley● “Communities of Care, Organizations for Liberation” by Yashna Maya Padamsee

Week 6 Caring Collectively: Lessons on Spiritual Care from TransformativeJustice (Cont.)

● Dixon & Lakshmi, Beyond Survival● Listen to “Adapting Strategy and Building Power”

*Assignment Due for Chaplaincy Track Students: Turn in Draft of Interview Questions

Week 7 Presentations: Final Project (Congregational Track) and Portfolios(Chaplaincy Track)*Final Projects for congregational track students due. No late assignments will beaccepted.

Week 8 Spring Break

Week 9 Chaplaincy is Changing Feat. Guest Presenter● Shelly Rambo and Wendy Cadge, “Introduction” & “Chapter One” from

Introduction to Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care● “The Challenge and Heart of Chaplaincy” by Michele Sakurai & “What a Chaplain

Looks Like” by Helen McNeal

*Assignment Due: Complete Interview of Spiritual Care Provider

Week 10 Spiritual Care In the Midst of Multiple Crises● Watch “Circles of Suffering” & “The Pearl” by James Finley● Select two of the following four to read:

o Anne Vandenhoeck, Cheryl Homles, and Cate Desjardins, “The MostEffective Experience was a Flexible and Creative Attitude- Reflections on

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Those Aspects of Spiritual Care that were Lost, Gained, or DeemedIneffective during the Pandemic”

o Shelly Rambo and Tiffany Steinwert, “What if it’s Not (Exclusively) aMental Health Crisis?”

o Rev. Neddy Astudillo, “Eco-Justice is Creation Care: Shifting theFoundations of Eco-Theology to Include Stewardship, Justice, andSpirituality”

Case Study #1: Navigating Policy, Faith, and Identity

Week 11 Navigating Spiritual Diversity as a Spiritual Care Provider● Carrie Doehring and Allison Kestenbaum, “Spiritual Integration as Foundation for

Interpersonal Competence”● Duane Bidwell and Victor Gabriel, “Nurturing Meaning Making in Pluralistic

Settings”● Jennifer Miller, “An Artful Approach to Interfaith Chaplaincy”● Rev. Janet Cooper, “Religious Affairs: Understanding Interfaith on Campus”

Case Study #2: “Affirming the Sacredness of a Life”

Week 12 Current Inequities within Spiritual Care & Supporting MarginalizedChaplains

● Cheryl Giles, “Beyond the Color Line: Cultivating Fearlessness in ContemplativeCare” in The Arts of Contemplative Care

● Review “Resources for Chaplains of Color”● Select two of the following five:

o Watch, “Best Practices in the Spiritual Care of Transgender and GenderNon Conforming Patients”

o Watch, “What is Movement Chaplaincy?”o Watch, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Spiritual Care”o Watch “Racial Differences in Spiritual Care: Existing Evidence and Future

Research”o Julia Belser, “Disability and the Politics of Vulnerability”

Case Study #3: “Healing or Hallucination?”

*Assignment Due: Thesis and Detailed Outline of Final Paper

Week 13 Chaplains as Institutional Spiritual Guides● Laurie Garret Cobbina, “Reading the Emotional Undercurrents and Patterned

Behavior within Organizations”● Su Yon Pak, “Interpreting Dominant Frames and Making Constructive

Interventions within Organizations”● Nathan White, “Cultivating Resilience within Complex Organizations”● Select one of the following three:

o Watch, “I’m thinking about Working in Spiritual Care: Issues to Consider”

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o Watch, “How do I decide which sector interests me most?”o Watch, “From Education to Employment: The Demand Side of Spiritual

Care”

Case Study #4: Transforming Chaplaincy at Vassar College

Week 14 May 4“Being a Spiritual Care Provider: What You are Not Told” Panel Discussion

Week 15 May 11Final Project Presentations*Assignment Due: Final projects due May 18. No late work will be accepted.

Final Project Rubric

Category ExceedsStandard

MeetsStandard

NearlyMeetsStandard

Does NotMeetStandard

ArticulatesTheology or

Philosophy ofSpiritual CareConnected to

SpiritualNon/Tradition

(25%)

Clearly andconciselystatesspiritual careparadigm andincludes cleartranslationfrom religiouslanguage toworkplacelanguage

Clearlystatespersonalspiritual careparadigm inone’s ownreligiouslanguage

Statesspiritualcareparadigmwithoutdepth ornuance

Incompleteand/orunfocused

Offerspractical

strategies forattending to

diversespiritual care

relations

(25%)

Clearly andconciselystatesspiritual careapproachesthat areculturallyinformed andattends todiversespiritualorientation bysharingconcreteexamples

Clearlystatespersonalspiritual careapproachesthat is awareof diversespiritualorientationswithconcreteexamples

Statespersonalperspectivewithoutdepth ornuance

Incompleteresponseand/orunfocused

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Identifiesresources tosustain the

work ofspiritual care

(20%)

Clearly andconciselystatesmultiplepersonal andinterpersonalpractices thatcan renew thespiritualcaregiver

States a fewpersonal andinterpersonalpracticesthat canrenewspiritualcaregivers

States onepersonal orinterpersonal practicethat canhelp sustainthe work ofspiritualcare

States noresources tosustainspiritual care

DevelopsStrategies forAttending toDisparities

withinSpiritual Care

(20%)

Clearly andconciselystates bothdisparitiesandorganizationalstrategies toconfront thedisparitieswithexamples

States bothdisparitiesandorganizational strategiesto sustainspiritual care

Stateseitherdisparitiesorstrategiesbut not both

Fails to stateanydisparities orstrategieswithinspiritual care

Format(10%)

Consistent inStyle. Noerrors inpunctuation,capitalizationand spelling;no errors insentencestructure andword usage

Consistent inStyle. Almostno errors inpunctuation,capitalizationand spelling;almost noerrors insentencestructure andword usage

Inconsistentin Style.Multipleerrors inpunctuation,capitalizationand spelling;almost noerrors insentencestructureand wordusage

No clear styleand numerousgrammatical,stylistic, andformattingerrors.