Ethics in pastoral care: Ethical and pastoral challenges in pastoral conversations with old and very old people

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Monika Bobbert; Professor Dr. Traugott Roser
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology ; Protestant Theology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 546564681

This project focusses on the area of pastoral care with old and very old people in parishes and in territorially structured pastoral care in pastoral areas, which has so far been little explored from an ethical perspective. It examines the difficult situations that pastoral care workers encounter in pastoral conversations with old and very old people, the inner tensions they experience and how they could deal with these difficult situations from an ethical and pastoral care perspective. To this end, on the basis of guideline-based expert interviews, problem constellations that pastoral workers encounter in the accompaniment, counselling and care of people in the third and fourth age are analysed using the documentary method and then reflected on from a practical-theological and theological-ethical perspective. The Catholic and Protestant perspectives are combined by analysing the pastoral conversation with old and very old people in a cross-denominational and at the same time denominationally sensitive way. The focus is on illuminating the field of pastoral care for people in old age in order to get to know and reflect on different problem constellations. In addition, both rural and urban regions are considered in order to illuminate the field of community pastoral care for people in old age in such a way that various problem constellations can become visible. The research project is of particular importance in view of demographic developments. This is because it aims to further develop ethics in pastoral care in this regard and serves to prepare practical solutions for pastoral care workers in territorial pastoral care. The project also contributes to the identification of ethical and poimenical educational needs of future pastoral carers and the design of specific curricula in the theological training and further education of full-time and voluntary pastoral care staff who work on behalf of the church in various care contexts for old and very old people.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants