"I've never seen a Black woman chaplain before:" From personal narratives to hypotheses

Authors

Marilyn J. Barnes, Department of Patient Counseling, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.Follow
Calvin Bradley, Department of Patient Counseling, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
Lex Cade-White, Advocate Aurora HealthFollow
Jaclyn P. Williams, Fuller Theological Seminary and Memorial Hermann Health System, Houston, TX, USA.

Recommended Citation

Barnes MJD, Bradley C Jr, Cade-White L, Williams JP. "I've never seen a Black woman chaplain before:" From personal narratives to hypotheses. J Health Care Chaplain. 2023;29(3):279-291. doi:10.1080/08854726.2023.2209465

Abstract

This article shifts the traditional approach to case studies in healthcare chaplaincy from questions about what chaplains do to questions of who chaplains are and how they experience the work. We draw insights from womanist theology to offer three narratives written by African American healthcare chaplains that illustrate themes of intersectionality, the effects interview contexts have on training and work, and key questions that emerge while doing the work. These narratives honor the largely invisible work of African-American chaplains while raising central hypotheses for research and intervention we outline in conclusion.

Document Type

Article

PubMed ID

37229592