Pastoral care and homosexuality – Empirical research on homosexuals’ experiences with pastoral care
Louise Høglid Pedersen
PhD-candidate
Project period
January 2022-December 2027
Supervisors
- Head supervisor: Anne Austad
- Supervisor: Tormod Kleiven
- Supervisor: Robert Lilleaasen
About the project
A person's sexuality is a part of their identity and part of the story that they tell about themselves and who they are. In some ecclesiastical contexts and pastoral care conversation traditions, homosexual identity and sexuality have not been recognized. This project qualitatively researches the experiences of homosexuals with pastoral care conversations and what perspectives these experiences can give to pastoral care conversations. The project is a phenomenological project with a focus on investigating identity challenged in the encounter with pastoral care conversations normativity exemplified through homosexuality. The project is article based with focus on identity, pastoral care normativity and the relationship between the pastoral care provider and the informant. The aim of the study is to contribute to pastoral care conversation research with tools for reflection on one's own practice among pastoral care providers.
The empirical data is gathered through a series of qualitative interviews with people who identify as homosexual and who grew up in an ecclesiastical context that believes that practiced homosexuality is not compatible with the Bible.
Background
Masters in theology and mission
Institution
Fjellhaug International University College Copenhagen