Katrina and Christianity
An Interview with Reverend E. W. Huffstutler
of New Orleans

Reverend Huffstutler is an ordained Baptist minister and president of the McFarland Institute, a non-profit organization that provides chaplains and training for nurses in pastoral care. P.H. spoke with Rev. Huffstutler about the intersection between religion and public health in New Orleans in the the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

P.H.: What kinds of religious responses has the tragedy generated? Do you think that religion has played a special role in helping victims come to terms with Katrina?

Huffstutler: I don’t think the spiritual response to Katrina will peak any time soon. I heard someone respond to a similar question the other day by saying, “if you think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, safety and security are primary. Then come food, shelter, and other basic needs. Only after those are taken care of do you start to address deeper, spiritual needs.” Right now, as a community, New Orleans is functioning at a basic level. People want to know that they’re safe and secure and that they’ll have a roof over their heads.

Traditionally, though, faith has been very important here. New Orleans always rates very high on resident satisfaction surveys, and the two advantages most often cited are the strength of the city’s faith communities and the vibrancy of its night life. Outsiders might not think of New Orleans residents as attached to their faith communities, but they always have been. I’m hopeful that our churches will rebound and continue to contribute to the city’s vitality.