polyhy_14's review
4.0
A former academic embarks on a course in Clinical Pastoral Education, doing his internship in a cancer ward of a large city hospital. Interestingly, he's the only atheist doing the course and this leads to some interesting conversations with the patients in his care, both those of faith and those of no particular belief. The latter in particular find it easier to open up to him when they become aware of his own stance. What comes out at these times is that having no religious belief doesn't necessarily lead to a nihilistic attitude, although he also brings up the argument that there are no atheists in a foxhole. It seems that most people need something to hold onto, especially when faced with the ending of their life. I'm impressed with his honesty concerning his learning curve, especially his feelings of inadequacy when dealing with the anger, frustration and hurt of the patients. On the other hand, his ability to engage with each person in his care at their level, working with their own particular beliefs, is heartwarming. As he constantly points out, pastoral care in this context is about being with the patient, listening to them and helping them to come to terms with their situation. From the anecdotal evidence, I also got the impression that a good working knowledge of the local football teams is an essential. That aside, he concludes by saying that "what we have in common is that we are prepared to consider the questions that have been on the minds of human beings since they first had minds: What does it mean to be a human being? And from that flows the other question: What does it mean to live? And: What does it mean to die?" To those who are dying, being prepared to listen and engage with these questions is what is ultimately important.
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