title: Healing and Belonging: Godly Play in Pediatric Medicine and the Theology of Disability.
abstract: Godly Play can serve as an effective therapeutic and spiritual intervention for children experiencing physical, emotional, and/or spiritual stress. As many pediatric healthcare providers note, this type of intervention is an important component to a child's healing. This article situates Wolfson Children's Hospital's practice of Godly Play within two larger discussions that advocate for improved care for children with mental and physical impairments and concludes that this practice provides insight for the church and society to create a world in which children with mental and physical impairments belong.
authors.affiliation: Senior Chaplain Baptist Medical Center/Wolfson Children's Hospital Jacksonville, Florida Sharon.Eddins@bmcjax.com.
authors.forename: Sharon Lynn
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Eddins
authors.affiliation: Religious Educator, Baptist Medical Center/Wolfson Children's Hospital Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grogan
authors.affiliation: Interim Director for Youth and their Families Palms Presbyterian Church Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frick
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Children's Spirituality; Godly Play; Pastoral Care; Pediatrics; Theology of Disability