New Zealand Defence Forces and Spirituality: What Does it Mean? What Are Their Spiritual Needs? How is Spiritual Health Care Practised?
Issue: Vol 4 No. 1 (2016)
Journal: Health and Social Care Chaplaincy
Subject Areas: Healthcare Communication
Abstract:
In the context of military chaplaincy changing alongside a fluid global and New Zealand spiritual environment, this study aimed to elucidate the nature of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) chaplains’ (Padres’) role as providers of spiritual care to military personnel. Twelve NZDF Padres were interviewed and the transcripts thematically analysed. Three overarching themes emerged. Firstly, definitions and understandings of spirituality were informed by a Christian framework, however this often remained unspoken in their approach. Secondly Padres’ pastoral approach was holistic and relational as they actively lived and trained with other personnel. Thirdly, Padres acknowledged various role tensions, for example between their Christian values and the defence force mandate to use lethal force. Padres clearly professionally navigate the multi-cultural, multi-faith and non-faith needs that arise in the contemporary NZDF.
Author: Emily Hill, Richard Egan, Rebecca Llewellyn, David McBride
References :
Ahdar, R. (2006) “Reflections on the Path of Religion-state Relations in New Zealand”. Brigham Young University Law Review 1: 619–59.
Atkinson, R., and J. Flint (2001) “Accessing Hidden and Hard-to-Reach Populations: Snowball Research Strategies”. Social Research Update 33(1) (Summer): 1–4.
Braun, V., and V. Clarke (2006) “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology”. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3(2): 77–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Carey, L. B., and J. Cohen (2014) “The Utility of the WHO ICD-10-AM Pastoral Intervention Codings Within Religious, Pastoral and Spiritual Care Research”. Journal of Religion and Health 54(5): 1772–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9938-8
Carey, L. B., C. Polita, C. R. Marsden and L. Krikheli (2014) “Pain Control and Chaplaincy in Aotearoa New Zealand”. Journal of Religion and Health 53(5): 1562–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10943-013-9748-4
Chapdelaine, G. (2014) “Working Towards Greater Diversity: A Blessing or a Curse? The Experience of the Canadian Military Chaplaincy”. Canadian Military Journal 15(1): 34–43.
Conner, N., and L. S. Eller (2004) “Spiritual Perspectives, Needs and Nursing Interventions of Christian African–Americans”. Journal of Advanced Nursing 46(6): 624–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03053.x
Department of the Navy (2004) The Commander’s Handbook for Religious Ministry Support. Marine Corps Reference Publication 6-12-C. Washington, DC: Department of the Navy.
Durie, M. (1985) “A Maori Perspective of Health”. Social Science & Medicine 20(5): 483–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(85)90363-6
Egan, R., R. MacLeod, C. Jaye, R. McGee, J. Baxter and P. Herbison (2011) “What is Spirituality? Evidence from a New Zealand Hospice Study”. Mortality 16(4): 307–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2011.613267
Glen, F. (1996) “The New Zealand Army Chaplain at War 2NZEF 1939–1945”. PhD thesis, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
Greenstreet, W., ed. (2006) Integrating Spirituality in Health and Social Care: Perspective and Practical Approaches. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing.
Joint Chiefs of Staff (2012) Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms [November 8, 2010, as Amended through 15 November 2012]. Joint Publication 1-02.Washington, DC: Joint Chiefs of Staff.
King, P. (2013) “Faith in a Foxhole? Researching Combatant Religiosity amongst British Soldiers on Contemporary Operations”. In The Defence Academy Yearbook, ed. J. Volpi. Shrivenham: Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
McSherry, W., and S. Jamieson (2011) “An Online Survey of Nurses’ Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual Care”. Journal of Clinical Nursing 20(11-12): 1757–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03547.x
Ministry of Defence (2000) “Soldiering: the Military Covenant, Army Doctrine Publication No.5 (Army Code 71130)”, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/395358/2000-ADPvol5_Soldiering_the_Military_Covenant_Ver2.pdf (last accessed 14 December 2015).
New Zealand Government, Ministry of Defence (2010) Ministry of Defence White Paper 2010. Wellington: Ministry of Defence.
Nachowitz, T. (2007) “New Zealand as a Multireligious Society: Recent Census Figures and Some Relevant Implications”. Aotearoa Ethnic Network Journal 2(2): 17–25.
New Zealand Defence Force (1997) 5110 Chaplaincy Towards 2100 (Draft). Wellington: HQ Principal Defence Chaplain.
Orange, C. (1987) The Treaty of Waitangi. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books.
Patton, M. Q. (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Third edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Puchalski, C. M., R. Vitillo, S. K. Hull and N. Reller (2014) “Improving the Spiritual Dimension of Whole Person Care: Reaching National and International Consensus”. Journal of Palliative Medicine 17(6): 642–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2014.9427
Statistics New Zealand (2014) 2013 Census QuickStats about Culture and Identity. [Online]. Statistics New Zealand. Available at: www.stats.govt.nz (last accessed 14 December 2015).
Swift, C., G. Handzo and J. Cohen (2012) “Chapter 27: Healthcare Chaplaincy”. In Oxford Textbook of Spirituality and Healthcare, ed. R. M. Cobb, C. M. Puchalski and B. Rumbold. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/med/9780199571390.003.0027
Swinton, J., and S. Pattison (2010) “Moving beyond Clarity: Towards a Thin, Vague, and Useful Understanding of Spirituality in Nursing Care”. Nursing Philosophy 11(4): 226–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-769X.2010.00450.x
Tagg, M. (1997) The Prisoner Padre: The Impact of War on a New Zealand Cleric. M. Phil. Thesis. University of Waikato, New Zealand.
Tagg, M. (2000) “The ‘Jesus Nut’: A Study of New Zealand Military Chaplaincy”. PhD thesis. The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Todd, A. J., ed (2013) Military Chaplaincy in Contention: Chaplains, Churches, and the Morality of Conflict. Farnham and Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
Todd, A. J. (2015) “Religion, Security, Rights, the Individual and Rates of Exchange: Religion in Negotiation with British Public Policy in Prisons and the Military”. International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society 28(1): 37–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10767-014-9181-z
Totten, A. (2013) “Moral Soldiering and Soldiers’ Morale”. In Military Chaplaincy in Contention: Chaplains, Churches and the Morality of Conflict, ed. A. Todd. Farnham: Ashgate.
Vaccarino, F., H. Kavan and P. Gendall (2011) “Spirituality and Religion in the Lives of New Zealanders”. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society 1(2): 85–96.
Weathers, E., G. McCarthy and A. Coffey (2015) “Concept Analysis of Spirituality: An Evolutionary Approach”. Nursing Forum (e-pub ahead of print): 1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12128
Wilkinson, A. (1978) The Church of England and the First World War. London: SPCK.
Wyeth, E. H., S. Derrett, B. Hokowhitu, C. Hall and J. Langley (2010) “Rangatiratanga and Oritetanga: Responses to the Treaty of Waitangi in a New Zealand Study”. Ethnicity and Health 15(3): 303–16.