Assessing the care of the surviving clergy widows within the Pentecostal church

Abstract

The study was undertaken as a response to the need existing within the church. The author’s observation of how one widow was going to board a taxi on a very cold day to attend the church service triggered the desire to research the care of the clergy widows within the Pentecostal Church. The research is undertaken as follows: <ul><li> Chapter one: This Chapter introduces the study and serves as a window into the research by providing a bird’s eye view on what is fully entailed. It introduces the subject matter in the most probing and illuminating terms into the broader study which unfolds as alluded in the following subsequent chapters. </li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter two: The Chapter provides the significant meaning of what is entailed in the concept of caring as an envisaged theological tool towards addressing the needs of the clergy widows in general and the said Pentecostal clergy widow in particular, hence submitting the theology of caring. Various theologies such as the theology of brokenness, the theology of comfort and the theology of anointing the wounded are discussed in minute detail. Widows constituting various categories are presented as widows caused by God, caused by others and those caused by self. </li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter three: The methodology of caring is introduced with emphasis on how such a methodology can be practically employed as a way and means of averting the plight of the Pentecostal widows in particular. Gerkin’s Shepherding methodology is discussed in a scholastic dialogue with Wimberly, who introduces the notion of privileging conversations with God. These two authorities are presented in a discourse with Pollard who diagnoses a theology which he calls positive deconstruction. </li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter four: Three clergy widows were drawn from the Pentecostal Church and two from the Mainline Church as samples of narrated stories. Their stories managed to open a new well of information which surfaced both in their story-telling as well as in their responses to the questionnaires. The data collected both through the questionnaires as well as the stories they shared was analyzed intensely. </li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter five: The integration of the methodology of caring amongst other subjects unfolded matters related to the required healing of the surviving widow, dying patient’s problems come to an end, family problems go on and the submission of a considerable theology for the care of widows. The Chapter is aimed at creating an integration of the methodology of pastoral caring. </li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter six: The following theologies were submitted as proposals in developing the caring theology for the Pentecostal clergy widows: 1. The theology of social responsibility. 2. The theology of power. 3. The theology of proclamation. 4. The theology of tending the flock</li></ul> <ul><li> Chapter seven: This last chapter provided findings and recommendations established throughout the entire research process. Findings discussed were as such informed by tradition, observation, literature and interviews. Recommendations were provided as a foundational layer of the new tool for the care of clergy widows, and the Pentecostal widows in particular, hence the creation of a caring model. </li></ul>