Ethical Implications of Diversity in Pastoral Care: Power at Play?

Diversity in age, gender, and culture is a reality in the field of pastoral care, just as it is in society. This article addresses the question: How can this diversity found in society be dealt with in pastoral care? In the first part, attention will be given to the representation of diversity in current pastoral care in hospitals and the intertwined power play in that area. Three main implications of the diversity and power interplay in pastoral care will be further explored-namely, community, empowerment, and pastoral care itself-with their potential of contributing to a flourishing of diversity or of sharpening power imbalances and exclusion.