The medicine of mercy: Preaching on addiction in the field hospital Parish

ABSTRACT

In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, statistics related to the ongoing crisis of addiction in the United States hit record levels. Those statistics include drug overdose deaths, rates of substance use and misuse, and alcohol-related fatalities. Some Christian denominations and individual congregations, including a handful of Roman Catholic parishes, have sought to respond to the suffering experienced by those in active addiction through intentional ministries of care, support, and community. Yet preaching on the topic of addiction-and the hope found in recovery-remains rare in churches on Sunday morning. This thesis explores the complex and confounding realities of addiction, its causes, and multiple pathways to recovery, while articulating an urgent and salient call for Roman Catholic priests and deacons to address the crisis of addiction in their midst. The primary ministerial intervention for the thesis consisted of a one-day workshop for Roman Catholic priests and permanent deacons in Minnesota. Pre-workshop interviews were conducted with two cohorts ten priests and permanent deacons in active ministry (Cohort One), and ten practicing Catholics in recovery from addiction (Cohort Two). The interviews considered whether preaching on the topic of addiction and recovery was taking place in Roman Catholic parishes around the country and what might be most helpful or harmful for people in recovery or in active addiction to hear from preaching in their parishes. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis project overall.Chapter 2 considers addiction theologically, focusing on three areas of study sacramentality;sin, grace, and the unconditional love of God;and trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive theology. Chapter 3 explores the importance of story, specifically in the salvific and life-giving tradition of twelve-step storytelling and in the inductive practice of narrative preaching in the style of the New Homiletic. Chapter 4 provides a detailed exploration of addiction, considering clinical diagnostic criteria, neurological and sociological research, and current trends regarding the prevalence of stigma and challenges to achieving recovery for many. The chapter also considers multiple pathways to recovery, including twelve-step programs focused on abstinence, harm reduction strategies, and natural recovery methods. Chapter 5 reports on the ministerial intervention and provides key findings from the research conducted. Chapter 6 considers next steps and offers final conclusions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)