Abstract
The sociological study of spirituality has recently emerged as a focal point of questions about secular formations, State–religion relations, and lived religion. Where a religious tradition is historically and politically dominant, spirituality remains embedded in debates on religion; it is either enmeshed in institutionalized religion and therefore invisible or not seen by sociologists as relevant enough to merit discussion. Participant observation and semi-structured interviews with hospital chaplains show an emerging understanding of spirituality. These individuals’ efforts to negotiate their identity from Catholic chaplains into spiritual experts pose important questions. Their evolving gazes into human experience depend upon secular formations; in that sense, public policy and State arrangements offer little guidance as to what status spirituality among individuals with clear religious affiliations ought to have. This chapter investigates these problem spaces and explores spirituality as an emerging concept.
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Notes
- 1.
Interviews were conducted with representatives from the Roman Catholic Church, the Israelite Community, the Baha’i Community, the Ismaeli Community, the Sunni Muslim Community, the Hindu Community, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Evangelical Alliance, the Portuguese Council of Christian Churches, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Association, the Scientology Church, and the Buddhist Union.
- 2.
Interviews with two Health Ministers and a State Secretary for Health.
- 3.
Interview with State Secretary for Health.
- 4.
Interviews with two former National Coordinators for Health Pastoral.
- 5.
Interview with former President of the Commission for Religious Freedom.
- 6.
Interview with Portuguese Methodist Church representative.
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Bernardo, L.P. (2017). Caregiving as Spiritual Expertise: Spirituality and Lived Religion among Portuguese Hospital Chaplains. In: Mapril, J., Blanes, R., Giumbelli, E., Wilson, E. (eds) Secularisms in a Postsecular Age?. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43726-2_12
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