Spiritual Care in Times of Grief

While grief is a natural process, it can feel disorienting and overpowering. In the words of Robert Lowell, grief is seeing and feeling “with one skin-layer missing.” When we grieve, we are not simply grieving the loss of someone or something meaningful, we are also grieving the loss of the narrative by which we have lived our lives. In this course, you will explore the work of grief, some spiritual and theological implications of this work, and what it means to offer trauma-informed grief care.

Part I: The Work of Grief: Old Theories and New Insights

Part II: ".... and when I die": Grief and End-of-Life considerations

Part III: Trauma-informed Spiritual Care: Theological/Spiritual Implications

 

Facilitated by Rev. Dr. John Allen (photo attached)

Rev. Dr. John Allen, BCC., is a chaplain certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains and a CPE educator certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. He does his ministry as chaplain and educator at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. John is ordained in the United Church of Christ and earned both his MDiv and DMin at Eden. He and his spouse Carole live in the community of High Ridge with their three male rescue cats, all who think they are teenaged boys.

 

Digital content by Rev. Kristen J. Leslie, Ph.D. (photo attached)

Dr. Leslie is a feminist pastoral theologian whose research focuses on spiritual care with survivors of sexualized violence in the United States military, on college campuses, and in post-genocide Rwanda. An ordained United Methodist minister, she has served as a parish pastor, college chaplain, pastoral counselor, rape counselor, and seminary professor. She has taught pastoral care and counseling for 27 years, recently retiring from her post as the Harold Peters Schultz Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care at Eden Theological Seminary.

Dates: 6-7:30pm CT, Sept 18, Oct 16, Nov 13, Dec 11, 2025

all cohort meetings will be online

Ministry Cohorts

Ministry Cohorts allow you to sample many theological themes, offering peer learning with your ministry context in mind. Scholars have chosen a specific lens on a particular topic and share their expertise through digital content you watch on your own time. Four monthly online meetings are interspersed, where you and your Cohort members gather for facilitated discussion with an experienced church leader.

Cohorts support lifelong learning and are for anyone- authorized clergy, chaplains, Christian educators, lay leaders and anyone interested in the topic. UCC members will recognize the Mark for Ministry woven throughout the cohorts, though anyone from any denomination, or no denomination, is welcome to attend.

Completion of this Ministry Cohort provides 9 contact hours of continuing education, subject to approval by the participant's credentialing body.