The following article presents the views of spiritual suffering expressed by a distinguished Polish psychiatrist and grand humanist, professor Antoni Kępiński (1918–1972). According to the author, spiritual suffering is a multi-faced problem which, for instance, may be linked to one’s fear of life failures or old age. Just as physical suffering, spiritual suffering does not have a monolithic character. A person suffering spiritually often loses his or her self-confidence, his or her faith in the world, the future, even in God. Suffering itself ought to be categorised as evil though in the Christian vision of the world it may also have the purifying, and even saving power. Professor Kępiński distinguishes between two types of metabolism – energetic and informational. The former, constituting the „core of life”, refers to the constant exchange between the organism and the environment. Informational metabolism, in turn, creates a sphere of symbols around the core of life which, in a way, becomes a spiritual sphere. The formation of spiritual suffering seems to be dependent to a larger extent on informational metabolism although, on the other hand, both metabolisms – informational and energetic – are mutually permeable.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the considerations is to get to know and understand the child’s spiritual suffering as a result of the parent’s death. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: In the context of a specific purpose, the research problem is formulated in the question: What is the picture of a child’s spiritual suffering as a result of the death of a parent? The answers to the research question were sought in the light of the theory outline and the results of the narrative analysis. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The issue of spiritual suffering of a child resulting from the death of a parent has not been fully recognized in pedagogy, hence, the need to make it a subject of research appears. The research is conducted with the use of narration as a method enabling to get to know the unique human biographies Reaching the empirically elusive spiritual world of a child is an important condition that provides him/her with support in a situation of experienc‑ing the spiritual pain. RESEARCH RESULTS: Achild suffering spiritually as a result of the death of a parent feels doubt, emptiness and meaninglessness, and does not always receive sufficient support. Avoidance con‑ versations with children about dying, death, the role of God, eternal life by adults, contributes to in‑ creasing their suffering. Bringing up children to face death gives them the opportunity to understand this phenomenon, and it is a nucleus of spiritual development and preparation for life. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS: The scientific argument carried out justifies the need to overcome the taboo of death in pedagogy, implement the content of thanatology and eschatology in the curricula of education on all its levels, also to include upbringing to death into the stream of general education.
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CEL NAUKOWY: Celem podjętych rozważań jest poznanie i zrozumienie cierpienia duchowego dziecka w wyniku śmierci rodzica. PROBLEM I METODY BADAWCZE: W kontekście określonego celu problem badawczy zawarto w pytaniu: Jaki jest obraz cierpienia duchowego dziecka w wyniku śmierci rodzica? Odpowiedzi na postawione pytanie badawcze poszukiwano w świetle zarysu teorii i wyników analizy narracji. PROCES WYWODU: Problem cierpienia duchowego dziecka będącego następstwem śmierci rodzica nie jest w pełni poznany w pedagogice, stąd występuje potrzeba czynienia go przedmiotem badań. Narracja jest jedną z metod poznawania niepowtarzalnych biografii ludzkich. Dotarcie do nieuchwytnego empirycznie świata dziecięcej duchowości jest istotnym warunkiem jego wsparcia w sytuacji doświadczania bólu duchowego. WYNIKI ANALIZY NAUKOWEJ: Dziecko cierpiące duchowo w wyniku śmierci rodzica odczuwa zwątpienie, pustkę i poczucie braku sensu, przy tym nie zawsze otrzymuje wystarczające wsparcie. Unika‑ nie przez dorosłych rozmów z dziećmi o umieraniu, śmierci, roli Boga, życiu wiecznym przyczynia się do potęgowania ich cierpienia. Wychowanie dzieci do śmierci daje im możliwość zrozumienia jej fenomenu, stanowi zaczyn duchowego rozwoju i przygotowania do życia. WNIOSKI, INNOWACJE, REKOMENDACJE: Przeprowadzony wywód uzasadnia potrzebę przełamywania tabu śmierci w pedagogice, wdrożenia treści tanatologicznych i eschatologicznych do programów kształcenia na wszystkich poziomach edukacji, a także włączenia wychowania do śmierci w nurt wychowania ogólnego.
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