Spiritual Identity and Transformation: Christian Narratives, Public Discourse, and Critical Social Work Practice

Currently, critically reflective social work practice is influenced by culturally relativizing themes from postmodern thought. This view cautions practitioners to be aware of the role that dominant cultural narratives play in subjugating the identities of their clients as well as their own lives and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Joe Fardella
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Windsor 2019-03-01
Series:Critical Social Work
Online Access:https://ojs.uwindsor.ca/index.php/csw/article/view/5668
Description
Summary:Currently, critically reflective social work practice is influenced by culturally relativizing themes from postmodern thought. This view cautions practitioners to be aware of the role that dominant cultural narratives play in subjugating the identities of their clients as well as their own lives and professional practice. As such, postmodern theory risks denying the emancipatory potential of Christian thought for inspiring subjective, inter-personal and social forms of transformative change. This paper will argue that the discourse ethics of Jurgen Habermas represent communicative ideals which allow for the non-coercive application of potentially transformative Christian beliefs to critical social work practice.
ISSN:1543-9372