Spiritual care instead of pastoral care?

The topic "Spiritual Care" is in great demand. But what is it about? While some people are talking about an interdisciplinary concept of 'Spiritual Care' in a palliative medical context or even about a new field in human medicine, others are thinking of a more contemporary variant of pastoral care in hospitals and nursing homes. In order to clarify this, the author first traces the history of the development and expansion of Spiritual Care. After the presentation of the theoretical and practical design, space is opened for constructive-critical questions. On the basis of ascertainable (in)compatibilities between Spiritual Care and pastoral care, Nauer provocatively sums up why Spiritual Care represents a serious challenge for health care workers, Christian pastoral workers, churches and Caritas/Diakonie.