Confidentiality and Expressed Suicide Intent (IN: Clergy Response to Suicidal Persons and Their Family Members, edited by D C Clark)

A case illustration of a congregation member with AIDS who expresses suicidal intent to his pastor is presented in this chapter. Observations on the case & aspects of the moral quandry are discussed along with 3 approaches (models) for “doing ethics:” 1) hierarchy of rules, 2) liberatarian relativism, & 3) relational. The distinction between secrecy & confidentiality is also discussed noting that secrecy serves to maintain shame while confidentiality serves to maintain trust.