Caring Liturgies: The Pastoral Power of Christian Ritual

by Susan Marie Smith

Caregiving practices in churches often center around listening and giving counsel, making referrals, and creating support groups for specific needs. In Caring Liturgies, Susan Marie Smith proposes that Christian ritual is both a method and a means for helping people through liminal times of transition and uncertainty, even vulnerability and fear. It teaches readers to recognize the ritual needs of fellow Christians and thus create post-baptismal rites of passage and healing that might strengthen and support them in the fulfillment of their ministries. The book extends the usefulness of denominational "occasional services" books and other resources by suggesting ways to build a rite around a central symbolic action, pointing out issues of ritual honesty and ethics, and identifying skills and attributes necessary to preparing and leading a rite. Numerous narrative examples help to flesh out the principles and illustrate the key argument: that rituals are necessary means to enable human growth and maturity, both through times of suffering and times of transition, and that ritual-making leaders are central to the ongoing health of the church.

160 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ruti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book about ritual. The chapter "Ritual Honesty" contains a lot of actionable insight about where liberal ritual goes wrong, and what to do about it.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas. I'm still digesting how extensive the use of liturgy and ritual should be used as a pastoral care tool. Minimally it does have some useful application.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful example of how ritual in worship can be a form of pastoral care - and we need more of it