Grounded in empirical research and richly illustrated with case studies, this introduction continues the theoretical, practical, and theological expansion of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Because of increasing cultural diversity and the fact that more training is done outside of seminaries in non-seminary related colleges and universities, there is fragmentation in the discipline. This makes a coherent orientation to pastoral care and counseling as a ministry increasingly difficult. To address this confusion, author, Loren Townsend, calls us to readdress basic understandings. He also makes the case that pastoral identity can function as a unifying concept.
It was an interesting read, and informative from the perspective of where the field of pastoral counseling has been. However, I don’t feel like it wrapped up, with a projection of what I should consider as someone entering the field. So you gave me all of this information, but what do I actually do with it, how should it impact how I approach this field?