The theology of compassion. How does it help us?
Rt. Revd. Patrick Harris
This is an appropriate time for the Churches Together in different locations throughout the country actively to resolve to take up the challenge of supportive encouragement for the Hospitals and General Practices in their areas. It is plain that the NHS is facing unprecedented challenges and problems. As I said earlier, “The NHS belongs to all ofus and so do its problems. And we need to be ready to be part of the solution.”
As churches, we have a vested interest in the NHS. We were reminded that its creation in 1948 came out of the historic work of the churches and the spiritual life of the nation in centuries gone by. And these had their theological roots in the compassion of God, in whose image we are created and which is to be manifested in our love for our neighbour.
This Conference organised by Listening Post has brought together over fifty people from the area around Gloucester with a concern for the future of the NHS and its effective delivery of Compassion and Person Centred Health Care. I want to suggest that one significant outcome would be a structure of organised and regular prayer support.
The first hospitals were founded by monastic orders who were a group of men or women committed to living in community and based round a rule of life based on a discipline of prayer and service. Prayer was fundamental. When there was a recent crisis in the delivery of care in the Accident and Emergency Wards, the Bishop of Tewkesbury called all the churches in the Diocese of Gloucester to pray for the NHS. One is aware that the problems the NHS faces, and which are highlighted by the heated discussions by our politicians in preparation for the General Election, have not gone away and are not going to.
The churchestherefore face an important theological, historical and spiritual challengeat this time. Many if not most local churches will have services of healing and some sort of prayer ministry alongside pastoral care and visiting of those who are physically or mentally sick or near to death. But I want to suggest that this is a time when there is a need for some more specific action.
One suggestion is that some of us who live in this areaand have already indicated our concern about the future of the NHS by our attendance at this Conference, might come together specifically and regularly – perhaps initially once a quarter - to pray for the Hospitals, General Practices, and all who work in them as nurses or practitioners, as well as in governance, administration, support and voluntarywork. I will be meeting with Professor John Cox, the President of Listening Post, to consider the feasibility of such a proposal.
Such a meeting would also give an opportunity to give support and encouragement to the Chaplains, whose spiritual work in our hospitals, is a continuing expression of compassion to patients and staff and whose presence is a demonstration of the Church’s commitment to the healing ministry.
One of the aims of Churches Together in Gloucestershire is “to facilitate joint action on matters of common concern”. At this time of pressure, it would be good to establish an annual County Service to give thanks for the National Health Service and its ministry of compassion and care to the sick and needy and also to pray for all those working within it.