Images of Pastoral Care: Classic Readings

by Robert C. Dykstra

This book is an edited volume of works that have predominated over the past several decades in contemporary pastoral theology. Through the writings of nineteen leading voices in the history of pastoral care, Dykstra shows how each contributor developed a metaphor for understanding pastoral care. Such metaphors include the solicitous shepherd, the wounded healer, the intimate stranger, the midwife, and other tangible images. Through these works, the reader gains a sense of the varied identities of pastoral care professionals, their struggles for recognition in this often controversial field, and insight into the history of the disciple. Images of Pastoral Care includes readings by Anton Boisen, Alastair Campbell, Donald Capps, James Dittes, Robert Dykstra, Heije Faber, Charles Gerkin, Brita Gill-Austern, Karen Hanson, Seward Hiltner, Margaret Zipse Kornfeld, Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Jeanne Stevenson Moessner, Henri Nouwen, Gaylord Noyce, Paul Pruyser, and Edward Wimberly.

Genres: Religion, Theology, Christianity, Christian, Nonfiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Robert C. Dykstra is the Charlotte W. Newcombe Professor of Pastoral Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned both the M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees. A native of Minnesota, he is a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and an ordained Presbyterian minister. He served for a number of years as a minister, youth minister, hospital chaplain, and pastoral counselor. His academic interests include pastoral care and counseling, contemporary psychoanalytic theory and developmental psychology, pastoral preaching, and the integration of biblical and theological precepts with contemporary research in the human sciences.

Reviews

[Luke Hillier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tremendously rich resource that I'm excited to add to my personal library and confident I'll revisit numerous times over in the coming years. The premise is extremely up my ally: I love diving into models and metaphors and it was especially helpful to see them utilized here to flesh out the somewhat amorphous, nebulous praxis of "Pastoral Care." I'd easily give the premise here 5 stars, but I have to admit a few entries were less intriguing and some suffered from redundancy and/or shallow exploration of their chosen image which slowed down my reading a bit. Rather than each author write their contribution specifically for the collection, Dykstra featured previously published excerpts, and I wonder if the weaker chapters would have been bolstered had they been written specifically with the book's purpose in mind. One plus of this approach, of course, is the breadth of time here, from Boisen's chapter in 1936 to Gill-Austern's in 1999. It was fascinating to watch the pendulum swing back and forth across these essays from an embrace and assimilation of secular, psychologically-driven application to more differentiated theological, spiritualized care –– especially given how that tension persists in the field today.

Those quibbles aside, this was really terrific. Though I enjoyed the chapters on the Living Human Document (especially reclaiming of Boisen's original, much more autobiographical articulation), I thought it really found its footing in part 2 exploring the paradoxical images. I'd already read Nouwen's The Wounded Healer : Ministry in Contemporary Society, so was unsurprised by how phenomenal that chapter was, only to be floored by how compelling Faber's image of the Circus Clown proved to be. Throughout the first unit of my CPE residency, I've been wrestling with the chaplain's insecurity among the IDT that he names so astutely and found so much resonance and freedom in his vision of the role. However, Dykstra's own immensely rich and layered chapter on the Intimate Stranger may be the stand-out of the whole book for me, and has similarly given crucial language to dynamics I've been encountering again and again. Dittes' model of the Ascetic Witness was memorable as well, though a bit extreme in its binary oppositions. I do think the third section fell a bit flat, but thankfully finished strong with its final three entries: Hanson's Midwife, Kornfield's Gardner (though I wish it had been less specific to congregational ministry, I still found this ripe for reflection), and Gill-Austern's Midwife 2.0 / Storyteller / Reticient Outlaw hodgepodge.

I would LOVE to see a new iteration of this published! I suppose the closest comparison is Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook's work, but I think the commitment to exploring images and metaphors here is especially engaging. I know that it's already been pivotal to my own work as a chaplain to begin to more intentionally build out images for myself to work within, and I'd love for that to be in conversation with others engaging that process in a more contemporary context.

[Melody Hession-Sigmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical review of some development of the field of pastoral theology. The last chapter was a weird ending note... Seemed like a kind of narrow feminism to me. Chapter 11 especially I highly recommend for any seminarians about to do CPE.

[James Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Determine Your Pastoral Self-Identity
The book is a collection of nineteen essays written by various religious scholars. Dykstra’s purpose in putting the compilation together was to help readers determine their pastoral self-identity. To do so, he organizes the book in three sections or “images.” The big takeaway for me was understanding how these images helped me to become more conscious of my own pastoral self-awareness. Since reading "Images of Pastoral Care," I do find myself to be more conscious of the differences in the way different ministers approach problems. I now understand that clergy just don’t have differences in style, but also have differences in pastoral self-understanding. "Images of Pastoral Care" should be read by all seminary and CPE students.

[Alan Londy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone interested in a serious study of the intellectual and spiritual foundation of pastoral care, this books is essential reading. I did not find all of the essay compelling but reading each of them was an important part of my learning.

[John Connolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be an incredible composition of a multitude of different perspectives on pastoral care. It does not go very deep and to anyone particular topic but gives you a great survey of some of the great perspectives in the field of pastoral care; well worth the read.

[Holyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

To better understand the historical roots of pastoral care, within a Christian, mostly white context, this is a helpful read. To imagine where spiritual care is moving and growing within cultures and contexts, not so much.

[Caleb McCary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting concepts. Sometimes helpful. Sometimes repetitive.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent essays. This would be an especially good read for those preparing for CPE or in a CPE program. Good reads for anyone preparing for ministry or in ministry.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this during a CPE Residence. Fantastic book.

[Cricket Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not saying it wasn't beneficial, but I think that it needs an update or a volume 2 that contains more modern ideas and images, especially written from a wider variety of perspectives.

[Paris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, for a school book 😇

[Katie Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting approach to thinking through pastoral care. Dykstra is the editor of these multiple reflections on caring. Each chapter provides a different imagery to consider the pastoral relationship from, with chapters ranging from pastoral care as an act of midwifery to shepherding to the stranger.

[Robert Munson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books on pastoral theology. It is an anthology of metaphors (such as Wounded Healer, Living Human Documents, Wise Fool, and more) that inform modern pastoral care. A favorite of mine from the book was Circus Clown. Great read.

[Kira Austin-Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of essays compiled by Dykstra illuminating different images of pastoral care. Personally, I found some of the images more helpful than others for my ministry, as is to be expected. I particularly like how Dykstra balanced more traditional and masculine images with feminist perspectives by pastoral theologians like Miller-McLemore. A great introduction to these theologians' work.

[Daniel Seifert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pastoral models help us become more conscious of how our pastoral self-understanding informs our praxis, and more conscious of the fact that differences in the way pastors approach problems and needs are not merely differences in style but in pastoral self-understanding.

[Aleah · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any compilation of essays, some are much stronger than others. More good than bad (although a couple were laughably bad). Still, a helpful and creative use of metaphor to capture diverse aspects of pastoral care.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a good collection, the arena just was not my cup tea

[A.L. Stumo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good collection of older images.

[Sarah McCoy Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an outstanding primer on Pastoral Care. I highly recommend it.