Reclaiming the Practice of Lament: Lament as a Modern Pastoral Care Practice in the Face of Grief and Loss in the Bahamas. Open Access

Abstract

Losing someone or something you love hurts. Whether it is the death of a pet, loss of a job, divorce, death of a grandparent, or a stillborn child, bereavement can be devastating. A common coping strategy is to become physically, emotionally, and spiritually detached. This is normal, but to avoid grief indefinitely is unhealthy. If grieving people receive support, a platform to express inner pain and the assurance that someone is listening and care about their story, they tend to be healthier. Historically, lament has been one of the most effective means of expressing grief and it is still necessary today. In this study, I propose that lament be reclaimed as a modern pastoral care practice in the Bahamas.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION  The Quest to Reintroduce Lament Practices         1         

1. Lament Defined

2. Context, Demographics, and Method

3. Research Challenges and Project Goals

4. Pastoral Care Case

                                                           

SECTION I             Traditional Practices of Lament                            6

1. Ancient and Biblical Lament

2. Lament in Bahamian Culture                                                                     

3. Pastoral Care in Worship

                                                

SECTION II            The Lost Art of Lament                                          11

1. The Lack of Lament in the Church

2. The Rise in the “Prosperity Gospel”

3. A Forgotten Language

4. Lamentation and COVID-19

 

SECTION III                       Necessity of Lament                                                 18

1. Sharing Grief with God and the Faith Community

2. Healing and Wholeness

3. Lament Interrupts “Numbness”

4. Meaning Making in Suffering and Loss    

 

SECTION IV:          Reclaiming Lament                                                22

1. Give Yourself and Others Permission to Lament

2. Start with Small Groups

3. Provide Platforms for Storytelling and Meaning-Making

4. Include Lament in Worship

                                                                                   

PROJECT              Prayer & Share                                                       27

A three-month prayer and share series comprising of prayers of lament and celebration and brief reflections on the impact of COVID-19

 

CONCLUSION: The Way Forward: Lamentation in the

                             Twenty-first Century                                                     30

 

APPENDIX                                                                                                  33

1. Questionnaires

2. Map

3. Sample Prayers and Reflection

4. Glossary

 

BIBLIOGRAPY                                                                                          40

 

About this Dissertation

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Candler School of Theology
Department	Ministry
Degree	DMin
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Theology
Keyword	Pastoral care Grief
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Jennifer Ayres, Emory University
Committee Members	Elizabeth Bounds, Emory University

Last modified

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Reclaiming the Practice of Lament: Lament as a Modern Pastoral Care Practice in the Face of Grief and Loss in the Bahamas. ()	2021-04-22 13:48:11 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions