The Integrity of Pastoral Care

What is distinctively Christian about the pastoral care the Churches offer, and what is the place of care and counselling within the broader context of the work of the Church? This study of pastoral care as the normative pastoral ministry gives a context and perspective to the recent explosion of pastoral counselling. While pastoral care can draw upon the insights of the secular therapies, it is not an inferior form of pastoral counselling. Pastoral care has its own integrity rooted in the life and worship of that community of faith shaped by the story of Jesus Christ. The theological importance of pastoral care is thus made central. This book offers an important manifesto for parish ministry, and the need to hold in balance the practical and the theological. Drawing upon a wide range of case material, David Lyall sets out a theology and practice of pastoral care, affirming the importance of Christian narrative amid the realities of postmodern society.

About the author

David Lyall is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the University of Edinburgh. He co-authored (with John Foskett) Helping the Helpers: Supervision and Pastoral Care (SPCK 1988), another key title in the NLPC series. He also wrote Counselling in the Pastoral and Spiritual Context (Open University Press 1995).

Summary

This work presents a study of pastoral care as the central pastoral ministry of the church, relating it to other functions of Christian ministry. The theological importance of pastoral care is explored, and other pastoral activities.

Product details

• Authors: David Lyall
• Publisher: O'Reilly
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 22.06.2001
• EAN: 9780281050260
• ISBN: 978-0-281-05026-0
• No. of pages: 208
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 215 mm x 19 mm
• Weight: 271 g
• Illustrations: black & white illustrations
• Series: New Library of Pastoral Care; New Library of Pastoral Care
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; RELIGION / Christian Ministry / General, RELIGION / Christian Theology / General, RELIGION / Christianity / General, Theology, Christianity, Christian theology, Christian ministry & pastoral activity, Religious ministry and clergy