Language has always been fascinating to Archdeacon Rod Bower.
Through years of public advocacy, Father Rod found many Australians were suffering from ‘moral injury’.
Moral injury helps to explain feelings such as shame or guilt, remorse and outrage stemming from a betrayal of what is considered right – or just.
For many, coining the term helped to justify their emotions.
“People found meaning in it,” Father Rod says.
“It was a matter of ‘oh, that’s why I’ve been feeling that way, because I’ve been involved in something that’s injured my value system somehow’.
“Whether they were people of faith or not, they still got the same thing out of it.
“So, the constant choice is ‘what language do I use to make whatever I’m trying to say accessible to whoever I’m talking to?’
“For me, that’s fascinating.”
Our spiritual wellbeing
Within Newcastle Anglican and its agencies, the language we use to define spirituality is meaning, purpose, and connection.
According to Father Rod, the organisation’s Director of Mission, it’s where people enter the ‘bigger space’.
This could be family, nature, or sport. It may include some kind of expression of a higher being or spiritual practice that involves meditation or contemplation. For some, it might be a combination of all these things.
“We’re built for connection; we’re seekers of meaning and purpose. When we engage in that, our wellbeing increases,” Father Rod says.
“We spend a good chunk of our waking hours at work, so it’s a really important part of our wellbeing. If we think in terms of what motivates and animates us, and how that lands in our role and context at work, that’s a huge contributor to our wellbeing.”
A significant element of spiritual wellbeing is the provision of spiritual care.
Effective spiritual care is best achieved through a whole-of-organisation approach by embedding the practice in key systems and processes.
For Newcastle Anglican, spiritual care is framed by the organisation’s values of Compassion, Integrity, Justice, Faith, Courage, and Wisdom.
It is also reflected in the service philosophy of reliability, individuality, dignity, and empowerment.
A universal model
For Christians, there are many stories in the scriptures about how Jesus related with other humans in terms of compassion, care and, sometimes, challenge.
“But it’s always about how that person might flourish and live abundantly,” Father Rod says.
“There are a lot of people working within Newcastle Anglican who have different faiths and expressions of wellbeing.
“But we do talk about people flourishing because of what we do, inspired by the way of Jesus.
“This isn’t necessarily a theological statement but a statement of modelling.
“Jesus lived his life in a certain way, and we find that if we live a life modelled from that, then we will have a much deeper connection and sense of purpose and meaning in terms of compassion, wisdom, and justice.”
The art of mindfulness
Have you heard of the term reflexive practice? It’s language used to describe looking at patterns and influences that can affect your actions as a whole.
Reflexive practice is a self-reflection of how your own presence, perspective and biases can determine professional interactions and outcomes.
Father Rod says Newcastle Anglican intends to roll out reflexive practice across its agencies to improve wellbeing and create a greater sense of meaning, purpose, and connection.
“We’re in the process of developing reflexive practice, especially within our complex, people-facing roles,” he says.
“We get together as groups and use certain models to be more reflective and connective to engage our wellbeing within our workplace.
“As time goes on and more staff undergo training, we’ll have more opportunities to engage in reflexive practice.”
