PrayingThrough the Bars: A Pastoral Testimony For Prison Visitors
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About this ebook
Keith R. Maddock, a member of Toronto Monthly Meeting, has many years of experience in prison visitation and has been involved in several justice organizations. Here he gives us the benefit of that experience, expanding on his earlier pamphlet, Beyond the Bars: a Quaker Primer for Prison Visitors. In this one he presents a more in-depth discussion that includes theological underpinnings that relate to his experience. He reminds us always to approach prison visitation with humility and empathy. He tells us stories of his encounters with inmates, and encourages us to have the courage to listen fully to their stories. He gives practical suggestions as to specific conversational openings and how and when to explore questions of faith and spiritual testimonies. Finally, his writing is an encouragement to those who would take on this important ministry.
Keith Robert Maddock
Keith Robert Maddock obtained degrees from the Toronto School of Theology in Religious Education and Pastoral Theology, before becoming a Friend in Toronto Monthly Meeting. He served for twenty years as a volunteer chaplaincy visitor at the Toronto (Don) Jail until it closed down in 2014, and also worked at the Salvation Army Hope Shelter for homeless men. He has represented Friends on the Church Council for Justice and Corrections, the Ontario Multifaith Council for Spiritual and Religious Care, and the Alternatives to Violence Project. Currently he has also been serving as a volunteer spiritual care provider at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. He is the author of a Pendle Hill Pamphlet (No. 342) entitled "Beyond the Bars: a Quaker Primer for Prison Visitors" and numerous essays on poetry, spirituality and pastoral care.
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PrayingThrough the Bars - Keith Robert Maddock
Praying Through the Bars:
A Pastoral Testimony For Prison Visitors
Keith R. Maddock
Copyright 2016 Keith R. Maddock
Smashwords Edition
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Main Text
Endnotes
Annotated Bibliography
Author Acknowledgements
About the Author
Publishing Acknowledgements
Preface
When I was overseeing seminary students visiting in the local jail, written resources for them were sparse. Keith Maddock is filling this void with a second pamphlet, for which I am grateful. His annotated bibliography on this subject is the finest one I have seen.
Visiting persons incarcerated in our jails and prisons has never been easy. Now it is even harder, as Keith Maddock notes, with our penal system greatly overcrowded and the guards often overwhelmed. The visitation program at the seminary where I taught was put on hold while a new jail was being built. The conditions in the old jail were so difficult that the students were not able to get in, even though they were approved by the prison authorities.
At the same time, Christians are called to be present precisely where people are most poor and marginalized. Jail visitation is a ministry unto the one least of these
(Matt. 25:45), which Jesus supported in a stunning way: He asserts that when we visit those in prison, it is as though we visit him (Matt. 25:40).
Keith provides a model in this pamphlet of unflagging perseverance in visiting persons behind bars, even when he honestly admits that he is not sure sometimes whether his visits are making any difference to those persons. His writing calls us to be faithful rather than worry about success. And he gives us stories, reflections and specific tools to encourage and guide us in this important ministry. Moreover, he offers an alternative to the more traditional evangelistic and totally Bible-quoting approach which many persons of faith will find congenial and encouraging.
For sustained ministry in jails, you will need ongoing training, support, and supervision. Finding others in your faith community who might be interested in such visitation would be a good place to start. Reading this book and discussing it, praying for discernment of whether to proceed with such a ministry, obtaining the blessing of your faith community, then finding someone who can provide some initial training - all would be good initial steps.
Finding a way into the prison systems is the next important step. If the jail or prison has a chaplain, that would be the logical person to approach. If there is no chaplain, you will need to inquire about the staff person who oversees visitors, in particular ministers and other persons of faith. There may well be forms to fill out, perhaps a police background check, then obtaining some kind of badge of identification in order to be admitted for visits. Once the visitation gets underway, you will need to debrief with others who are also visiting, support each other, and find ongoing oversight from a person who is experienced with your setting. Again the chaplain at the jail or prison