Listening and Responding to Concepts of God in the Context of Trauma and Grief

NACC Webinar 2023 Series

Listening and Responding to Concepts of God in the Context of Trauma and Grief
Presented by Anastasia Wendlinder, PhD
June 15, 2023, 12pm – 1:30pm CT

Overview and Objectives
It is natural for patients to question the nature of God in the context of trauma and grief: “Why would God let this happen to me?” “Where is God when I am suffering?” “What kind of a God would allow these tragedies? Responding to these questions effectively not only requires understanding where the patient is coming from religiously and spiritually, but also on you as the Chaplain or caretaker. How does your religious formation, spirituality and personal experience inform your responses to someone’s whose background may be very different than your own? How might your response add to or alleviate the pain of the patient and their family members?

This webinar will address how the Christian doctrine of God is often used and misused in the context of pastoral care, and will suggest strategies for listening and responding to yourself and others for more effective professional engagement.

As a result of this webinar, participants will:

1. Review their theological formation with regard to the doctrine of God
2. Reflect on how their theological education, spirituality and personal experience inform their actions towards patients.
3. Practice skills of deep listening to discern the concept of God as others communicate it in the context of trauma and grief
4. Be introduced to effective responses that respect the other’s religious and spiritual understanding.

NACC Certification Competencies Addressed in this Webinar
ITP1, ITP1.1, PIC1, PIC2, PPS8

Presenter Information
Dr. Wendlinder directs the Graduate Program and is a faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. She received her PhD in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame and her MA from the Graduate Theological Union. Her areas of expertise include the Second Vatican Council, Doctrine and Sacramental Theology, Ecumenism, Medieval Theology, and Theologies of Liberation. She teaches in and has published a book and a number of articles dealing with the above topics. She is currently the President of the Assoc. Jesuit Colleges and Universities Consortium on Pastoral, Theological and Ministerial Education, Past President of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry and Current President of the newly formed Eckhart Society, USA.