Date of Award
5-19-2023
Document Type
Major Applied Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Department
Practical Theology
First Advisor
Peter Nafzger
Scripture References in this Resource
Psalm 6; Psalm 139; Mark 10:13-16
Abstract
Baumgarten, Joseph M. There is a Place for You and Your Little Ones: Homiletics and Liturgy in View of Pregnancy Loss. Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2022. 81 pp.
Pregnancy loss and the grief that follows is more common than most people think. However, there is a gap in resources, discussion, and care for those who have experienced such losses. This is true in wider culture as well as in the church. While there are a few resources available, they are limited. This project addresses the church’s ability to provide proper recognition of pregnancy loss, the validation of those losses as worthy of grief, and compassionate care through multiple means including the preaching of the Gospel and liturgical worship. The project uses grounded theory modalities and qualitative research methodologies in an effort to assemble a collection of phenomenological experiences from participants. Then, with the evidence from secondary sources and interviews from primary participants, a homiletic structure is developed which provides a guide to sermon preparation. Three main issues were addressed through this work pertaining to pregnancy loss and the subsequent grief. Participants as well as secondary sources expressed feelings of disconnection, a sense of being alone, and confusion in their grief. Through the process of the interviews and the liturgical worship, participants were shown that they are indeed connected to one another and to God through Christ. The sense of being alone was addressed through the communal nature of the worship gathering. They could visibly see that others were grieving as they were. And the confusion of grief was addressed through the ordered nature of the liturgy and the structured sense of the sermon. The participants could see that Jesus was indeed there for them and others were too.
Recommended Citation
Baumgarten, Joseph Michael, "There Is A Place For You and Your Little Ones: Homiletics and Liturgy in View of Pregnancy Loss" (2023). Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project. 228.
https://scholar.csl.edu/dmin/228
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, Practical Theology Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons
