Social Networks Vol. 14 (March) 2008
BOOK REVIEW
Spirituality, Ethics and Care Simon Robinson
Reviewed by Dr. Lindsay Carey, MAppSc., PhD Palliative Care Unit, La Trobe University This book is an ambitious book – it seeks to examine the relationship between spirituality and ethics and offers practical guidance on how to integrate these facets into professional and voluntary care. Given the aims of this text, and given the contemporary bioethical issues currently affecting pastoral care workers, social workers and chaplains, this book should be considered essential reading by all those providing or interested in person-centred care. The text is ‘chaptered’ into eight topics: (1) Ethics, religion and spirituality, (2) Exploring spirituality, (3) Spirituality and ethics, (4) Love, (5) The community of care: Fit for purpose, (6) Values, virtues and the patient, (7) Challenging faith, (8) Spirituality and the domain of Justice. It has a fairly comprehensive reference list and a subject index – which unfortunately fails to list ‘pastoral care’, ‘pastoral care workers’ or ‘chaplains’ but does, like many texts, list the traditional categories of ‘religion’, ‘faith’ and ‘belief’. While not listed in the references, chaplains and pastoral practice are incidentally mentioned and the chapter regarding the role of faith (Chap. 7) is particularly interesting, covering ‘problems with belief’, ‘new religious movements’, ‘homosexuality’, ‘mental health’ and various ‘theological perspectives’. Indeed all the chapters contain a breadth of material and, like some other ‘pracademic’ (practical academic) texts on spirituality (e.g.
Gale, et al, 2008 1), it is surprisingly interesting to read. The use of numerous and very personal case studies that are critically analysed throughout the text may suggest the increasing development within contemporary literature of academic voyeurism, nevertheless, the scenarios presented are very helpful adding to the creative and real life content of the text - making it engaging reading and very useful as a training aid for lectures and seminars. One particularly valuable facet of this text is the sensitive inclusion of religious material and theological analysis to under gird and critique spirituality and ethics.
My major criticism of this text (or compliment – depending on your perspective), concerns the ‘Contents’ 1
Gale, F., Bolzan, N., McRae-McMahon, D. (2008) Spirited practices: spirituality and the helping professions, Sydney, Allen & Unwin. 11 Social Networks Vol. 14 (March) 2008
Social Networks Vol. 14 (March) 2008
page which simply fails to reflect the breadth and creativity of the text. That is, the contents page is simply too basic. Sub-titles or subheadings should have been used under each content listing to suggest the fullness and exploitive depth of this text. As it stands, some of the contents headings make the text almost seem like a biography or romantic novel (e.g., ‘Love’, ‘Community of care’, ‘Challenging faith’). In actual fact Robinson’s work reflects a knowledge of the key issues that demonstrates considerable understanding of the field of ethics and spirituality. Further the content and case studies within the chapters on ‘Love’ [Chap. 4], ‘Values, virtues and the patient’ [Chap.6], ‘Spirituality and the domain of justice’ [Chap.8], may well prove useful beyond its intended audience (social workers, healthcare professionals and pastoral practitioners), to be, for example, a resource for human resource managers and legal practitioners. Indeed, this text provides a very useful training reference, not only for any undergraduates and volunteers newly entering the subject fields of spirituality, ethics and care, but also for postgraduate students and the more experienced practitioner, as it will enable them to creatively reflect upon the quality of their person-centred care and practice. Book details: Robinson, Simon (2008) Spirituality, Ethics and Care Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, England: Total pages: 208pp Chapters: 8 Pictures / Illustrations: Nil. Table: 1; Indexed. ISBN 978 1 84310 498 8 (pbk)
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Reviewed by Lindsay Carey, PCU, La Trobe University
12 Social Networks Vol. 14 (March) 2008
