Moral Injury and the
Role of Chaplains

The increasing realisation of the significance of moral injury and its relationship with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlights the importance and value of Chaplaincy or Spiritual Care Practitioners in providing essential help (Frame, 2015; Graham, 2017; Meagher et al., 2014). Those who serve in vocations which deal with or are exposed to crisis and violence are at particular risk of moral injury. This includes all who serve in the defence forces, police, corrective services, disaster prevention and recovery (SES, RFS etc.), and health services (nurses, doctors etc.).

In a review of research into moral injury, Hodgson and Carey (2018) noted its recognition as an ‘injury to the soul’ (p. 2). They related it to

an existential wound of lament where one’s morality is dissected by the destructive impact of war or other traumatic events to such an extent that a person’s integrity, morality and/or spiritual well-being may no longer be what it once was.

The elusiveness of a comprehensive definition of moral injury is evidence of its pervasiveness. Hodgson and Carey list 17 attempts to define it (pp. 4-5).

Attempts at definition include a reference to something that causes lasting psychological, biological, spiritual, behavioural and social impact (p.5) and

moral injury is a wound in the soul, an inner conflict based on a moral evaluation of having inflicted or witnessed harm…it can also involve feeling betrayed by persons in authority (p. 6).

Hodgson and Carey also highlighted the value of spiritual care and hence of spiritual care practitioners in helping people recover their faith and sense of worth, re-establish relationships and reintegrate with the community.

References

Carey, L. B., & Hodgson, T. J. (2018). Chaplaincy, Spiritual Care and Moral Injury: Considerations Regarding Screening and Treatment. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00619

Frame, T. (2015). Moral Injury: Unseen Wounds in an Age of Barbarism. NewSouth Publishing: University of New South Wales Press Ltd.

Graham, L. (2017). Moral Injury: Restoring Wounded Souls. Abingdon Press.

Meagher, R. E., Shay, J., & Hauerwas, S. (2014). Killing from the Inside Out: Moral Injury and Just War. Cascade Books.

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