Skip to main content
journal: Spiritual Care
Journal
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Spiritual Care

Zeitschrift für Spiritualität in den Gesundheitsberufen
  • Editors-in-Chief: and
  • Edited by: , , , , , , , , and
Language: German
First published: January 20, 2016
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year

About this journal

Objectives

Spiritual Care is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and interprofessional exchange on spiritual care. Information is provided on new research concepts, on the implementation of spiritual care in practice and its relevance for training in the health professions and pastoral care. Conceptualization and development of the discipline in the German-speaking area as well as in the international context should be encouraged and promoted.

Each issue of Spiritual Care deals with a main topic on which invited, renowned authors give an overview, report the results of their studies or outline projects. This is complemented by experience reports and descriptions of practical examples. In addition, Spiritual Care informs on a regular base about German and international discussion on spiritual care in medicine, nursing, social work, psychotherapy, pastoral care and other relevant fields. News from research associations and on public health university courses are provided as well as on events on the subject spiritual care.

Your Benefits

Complete Archive Access

As of 2026, all De Gruyter journal subscriptions include access to every issue, from Volume 1, Issue 1 through to today, meaning subscribers can access even more research at no additional cost.

History

Spiritual Care is a scientific journal that is published by the International Gesellschaft für Gesundheit und Spiritualität e.V. since 2012. Until 2015, the journal was published by Kohlhammer, since 2016 by De Gruyter.

Other publications in the field

International Journal of Practical Theology

Zeitschrift für Pädagogik und Theologie

Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie

Galanti, Geri-Ann: Caring for Patients from Different Cultures

  • March 12, 2026
    Ruth Mächler, Rico Gutschmidt, Eckhard Frick, Jenny Kubitza
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Die Konstruktion pastoraler Identitäten
    March 6, 2026
    Christine Wenona Hoffmann
  • March 3, 2026
    Michael Bordt, Johannes Lober
  • February 24, 2026
    Arndt Büssing, Anne Schattenfroh, Andreas Kopf, Joachim Reber, Valentin Bundschuh, Julia Rickert, Jenny Kubitza
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Religion und Zwangsstörung
    February 19, 2026
    Norbert Mönter
  • December 12, 2025
    Antonia Elisa Lüdtke
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Spirituelle Aspekte in der Kunsttherapie
    October 10, 2025
    Eckhard Frick, Sibylle Reim
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Doppelgesichtigkeit der Religionen
    September 5, 2025
    Eckhard Frick, Karl-Josef Kuschel
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Sophie Scholls letzter Traum
    September 5, 2025
    Herbert Will
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Auf vielen Ebenen Gutes tun. Das Vermächtnis von Andreas und Rose Rottendorf
    August 12, 2025
    Walter Gödden
  • August 12, 2025
    Jürgen Stausberg, Thomas Jungen, Michael Karaus, Guido Lerzynski, Christoph Scheu
  • October 3, 2020
    Martin Merkens
    Article number: 000010151520200103
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Spiritual Care und Kirchliche Seelsorge
    July 4, 2020
    Klaus Baumann, Friederike Rüter
    Article number: 000010151520200061
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Meditation
    February 20, 2020
    Stefan Kiechle
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Gabe
    February 20, 2020
    Konrad Hilpert
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Herz
    February 20, 2020
    Konrad Hilpert
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Lebensqualität
    February 11, 2020
    Maria Wasner
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed
    Selbstsorge
    February 11, 2020
    Eckhard Frick

Spiritual Care publishes special and thematic issues focussed on important and emerging topics in the field of study. The journal has established a rigorous process to ensure that any special issue manuscripts follow the same high-quality standards and peer review processes as regular manuscripts. For further information on the journal’s peer review policy please see the "Instructions for Authors".
Recent Special Issues

Submission guidelines 

Manuscript types

Original Article, Review, Experience Report, Case Study, Essay, Reader's Letter, Editorial, Communication, Keyword, Spiritual Impulse, Interview, Conference Report, Book Review, Obituary

Submission process

  • Submission of your manuscript via our submission management tool following the Instructions for Authors (you will be guided through every step of the submission process)
  • Peer review process with two independent reviewers
  • A decision on you r paper is aspired within 4 weeks
  • Accepted articles are published online ahead of print approx. 4 weeks after acceptance

Submission

You can easily submit your manuscript online. Simply go to https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/spircare and you will be guided through the whole submission and publishing process.

Please note

  • Manuscripts may be submitted in clear and concise German or English
  • Spiritual Care Tier 2 of our Data Sharing Policy. Authors are encourag ed to provide a data availability statement. Please refer to the Data Sharing Policy for guidance on how to write a data availability statement.
  • Before submitting your article please have a look at Ethical Guidelines and our Copyright Transfer Agreement
  • Spiritual Care follows Tier 2 of our Data Sharing Policy. Authors are encouraged to provide a data availability statement. Please refer to the Data Sharing Policy for guidance on how to write a data availability statement. 
  • Once your article is accepted you have the option to publish it open access
  • Our Repository Policy allows you to distribute 30 PDF copies of your published article to colleagues (the PDF has to include the information that it is an author's copy). Please also feel free to distribute the link to the online abstract
  • If you have any general questions please visit our FAQ for authors
  • For more detailed information please contact the Spiritual Care Editorial Office SPIRCARE.editorial@degruyter.com

 

We look forward to receiving your manuscript!

Hybrid Open Access 

In this journal, authors have the option to publish their article under an open access license. Open Access allows you as an author to retain copyright and share your findings with colleagues and interested parties worldwide without any restraints.
Please note that authors from institutions with which we have a transformative agreement can publish open access without paying an article processing charge (APC). More information on the eligible institutions and articles can be found under the "Funding and Support" tab
here.

Editor-in-Chief
Eckhard Frick, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Deutschland
Simon Peng-Keller, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz

Editorial Board
Michael Ackert, Forschungsinstitut für Spiritualität und Gesundheit, Langenthal, Schweiz
Alexander Bischoff, Haute école de santé Fribourg, Fribourg, Schweiz
Holger Eschmann, Theologische Hochschule Reutlingen, Reutlingen, Deutschland
Annette Haußmann, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Deutschland
René Hefti, Forschungsinstitut für Spiritualität und Gesundheit FISG, Langenthal, Schweiz
Maria Kotulek, Erzdiözese München und Freising, München, Deutschland
Ruth Mächler, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, München, Deutschland
Lydia Maidl, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Deutschland
Beate Mayr, Erzdiözese München und Freising, München, Deutschland
Michael Utsch, Evangelische Zentralstelle für Weltanschauungsfragen, Berlin, Deutschland

Scientific Advisory Board
Ulrike Anderssen-Reuster, Dresden, Deutschland
Michael Balboni, Harvard Medical School, Boston (MA), USA
Klaus Baumann, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg i. Br., Deutschland
Claudia Bausewein, Klinikum der Universität München, München, Deutschland
Gerhild Becker, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg i. Br., Deutschland
Daniel Berthold, Uniklinikum Gießen und Marburg, Gießen, Deutschland
Brigitte Boothe, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz
Arndt Büssing, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
Frank Erbguth, Klinikum Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Deutschland
Martin Fegg, München, Deutschland
Monika Führer, Klinikum der Universität München, München, Deutschland
Heiner Gabriel, Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, München, Deutschland
Stefan Gärtner, Tilburg University, Niederlande
Konrad Hilpert, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München, München, Deutschland
Thilo Hinterberger, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
Niels Christian Hvidt, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Dänemark
Ralf Jox, Universität Lausanne, Lausanne, Schweiz
Paul Kaplick, Rüsselsheim am Main, Deutschland
Isolde Karle, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland
Niko Kohls, Hochschule Coburg, Coburg, Deutschland
Ulrich Körtner, Universität Wien, Wien, Österreich
Franziskus Knoll, Theologische Hochschule Chur, Chur, Schweiz
Ralph Kunz, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz
Stefan Lorenzl, Paracelsus-Universität Salzburg, Agatharied/Salzburg, Österreich
Susanne Magin, München, Deutschland
Arne Manzeschke, Evangelische Hochschule Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Deutschland
Christian Metz, Wien, Österreich
Doris Nauer, CTS – Campus für Theologie und Spiritualität, Berlin, Deutschland
Anna Noweck, Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, München, Deutschland
Isabelle Noth, Universität Bern, Bern, Schweiz
Piret Paal, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Salzburg, Österreich
Stephan Probst, Klinikum Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Deutschland
Michael Reininger, Unversitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
Traugott Roser, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Deutschland
Patrick Schuchter, Hochschule Campus Wien, Wien, Österreich
Julia Seiderer-Nack, Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, München, Deutschland
Almuth Sellschopp, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, München, Deutschland
Jürgen Stausberg, Arzt für Medizinische Informatik und Ärztliches Qualitätsmanagement, Essen, Deutschland
Charlotte Uzarewicz, Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, München, DeutschlandRalf T. Vogel, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden, Ingolstadt/Dresden, Deutschland
Maria Wasner, Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, München, Deutschland
Susan Weber, Maryville University School of Health Professions, St. Louis (MO), USA
Wolfgang Weig, Osnabrück, Deutschland
Herman Westerink, Radboud-University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Niederlande
Urs Winter-Pfändler, Schweizerisches Pastoralsoziologisches Institut, St. Gallen, Schweiz
Christian Zwingmann, Evangelische Hochschule Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland

Editorial Office Contact

SPIRCARE.Editorial@degruyterbrill.com

Spiritual Care is covered by the following services:

  • Baidu Scholar
  • Cabells Journalytics
  • CNKI Scholar (China National Knowledge Infrastructure)
  • CNPIEC - cnpLINKer
  • Dimensions
  • EBSCO Discovery Service
  • Google Scholar
  • Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
  • J-Gate
  • Naver Academic
  • Naviga (Softweco)
  • Primo Central (ExLibris)
  • PSYNDEX
  • Publons
  • QOAM (Quality Open Access Market)
  • ReadCube
  • RelBib - Religionswissenschaftliche Bibliografie
  • ScienceON (Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information)
  • Scilit
  • Semantic Scholar
  • Sherpa/RoMEO
  • Summon (ProQuest)
  • TDNet
  • Ulrich's Periodicals Directory/ulrichsweb
  • WanFang Data
  • WorldCat (OCLC)
  • X-MOL
  • Yewno Discover

Journal information
Additional information
eISSN:
2365-8185
ISSN:
2193-3804
Language:
German
Publisher:
De Gruyter
Additional information
First published:
January 20, 2016
Publication Frequency:
4 issues per year
Downloaded on 20.4.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/spircare/html
Scroll to top button