Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

263In pastoral, theological terms, I would claim that Alice, as with all others,is created and lives as one made in the image of God and is loved by the Onewhose character it is to set free those contained and oppressed by socio-politicalcircumstance. That is the One who, according to the Old Testament Exodustradition, sets free the captives in Egypt and establishes nationhood and identityin a ‘promised land.’ 624 This is also the One who, according to Old Testamentprophetic tradition, releases the imprisoned 625 and restores land, life and nationalidentity to those held in exile as outlined, for example, in Deutero- and Trito-Isaiah. 626 This is the One who, in the person of Christ, proclaims “release to thecaptives and … [lets] the oppressed go free.” 627 It is this God who graciouslyaccepts people at the level of their being, ahead of any level of achievement. Andso, amidst Alice’s lack of responsiveness, it can be claimed there is God. Andwhere there is God, there is life. Alice is not contained. Amidst her humanlydescribedanonymity, there is God.The issue for me amidst my humanity and frailty, revealed so powerfullythrough Jim’s eloquent blessing, is how to respond pastorally to these who haverevealed so much of themselves through their stories. What model of pastoralcare can most completely and authentically offer liberation to a people describedas oppressed by institutional circumstance, although with uncontained wefts ofpastoral presence, mutual relationship and spirit defiantly and vividly woven intothe fabric of their lives. This is the task of the ensuing chapter.6.4 SummaryAs a Uniting Church chaplain I understand that I exercise a pastoralministry with the valued resources of my faith tradition. The Basis of Union thatundergirds the life and order of my church stands within a Reformed scriptural624 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, Holy Bible,Old Testament. See the Old Testament Pentateuchal books.625 ibid., 670, Isaiah 42:7; and 679, Isaiah 49:9-10.National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, Holy Bible, OldTestament, 884, Zechariah 10:11-13.626 ibid., 667-698, Isaiah chapters 40–66.Here the focus is upon the children of Israel as slaves in exile, as well as upon deliverancefrom slavery.627 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, Holy Bible,The New Testament, 61, Luke 4:18.Bracketed word is that of thesis author.