As the book title implies however, even the best training can not always prepare the pastor for every possible emergency situation. For instance, terrorism and disaster types of situations have evolved since the book came out in the year 2000.
The question of when and how to refer a patient is discussed in the final chapter. This issue in and of itself requires a great deal of sensitivity, The key for the pastoral counselor here is to take into and respect the client's feelings and to be helping and not patronizing (ibid, 175).
The above deficiency of the book is something that could not be helped. The book was written before 9-11, so it does not have an emphasis upon response to public emergencies and the mitigation of suffering for victims in the face of terrorism (or the war against terrorism). Certainly, the role of the chaplain is now more critical than it has ever has been before. Violence, terrorism, disasters, and even certain types of natural loss can send shock waves through a community so as to jeopardize the psychological foundations of that community. Good pastoral counseling in the age of terrorism...
Their goal is to destroy not just the society, but the souls of their victims. It is the pastor's job to lead his flock through the valley of the shadow of death.
It is well-known that a common goal of terrorist activities is to threaten the sense of psychological cohesion within a community, However, community group cohesion may also be threatened by accidents, violence, and natural disasters as well. Preparedness entails using modes of organization that are not based on the past or the present but to develop dynamically with relation to a radically uncertain future.
For the pastoral counselor, it is this unfamiliar frontier that will provide the future challenges. Certainly, no one can predict the future. However, the pastor has an edge over others in dealing with the uncertainties of our time. This weapon is the weapon of faith which can overcome the unknown and the unpredictable.
Works Cited
Switzer, David K. Pastoral Care Emergencies. Kitchener, ON: Augsburg Fortress
Publishers, 2000. Print.
