PC402 - Foundations of Pastoral Care

  • 0 Standard Tuition Fee
  • 4
    Credit Points
  • 0.125 EFT 
  • 7
    AQF level
  • pastoral churchUnit Discipline

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

  1. Biblical and theological perspectives on pastoral care
  2. Issues in pastoral theology
  3. The nature of people and families in various life stages and transitions

B. Be able to

  1. Examine biblical and theological perspectives on pastoral care
  2. Discuss aspects of pastoral care in the life of the church
  3. Analyse issues in pastoral theology
  4. Explain the nature of people and families in various life stages and transitions
  5. Engage in pastoral care

C. Be in a position to

  1. Integrate perspectives from foundations of pastoral care with their other theological studies
  2. Commence a ministry of pastoral care
  3. Maintain appropriate self care

Content

Section A: Biblical and Theological Perspectives (40%)

  1. Biblical and theological perspectives on the nature of persons and groups; the human predicament; salvation and wholeness.
  2. Biblical patterns and models of pastoral care, including the roles of the people of God as a caring community.
  3. The maturity theme, individual and corporate, within the New Testament; the relationships between pastor-teacher functions and pastoral care functions; proactive and reactive styles.
  4. An overview of the history of pastoral care; the integration of insights from the social sciences.

Section B: Pastoral Care in the Stages of Life (60%)

  1. The distinction between pastoral care and pastoral counselling; the relationship between pastoral care and the regular life of the church, including Christian education and liturgy.
  2. Caring for the carers; supervision; support groups; the role of the church and church leadership.
  3. Pastoral care in major life-stages and transition; common crises of life in childhood, youth, early adulthood, middle age, old age, with attention to Christian initiation and nurture.
  4. Pastoral care of families and single people; preparation for marriage; vocational guidance.
  5. An introduction to cross-cultural factors in pastoral care; family patterns in various cultures and sub-cultures.

Set Readings

Bridges, W., Managing Transitions, Making the Most of Change (London: Nicholas Brealey, 2001).

Capps, D., Agents of Hope: A Pastoral Psychology (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1995).

Gerkin, C., An Introduction to Pastoral Care (Nashville: Abingdon, 1997).

Moessner, J. S., Through the Eyes of Women: Insights for Pastoral Care (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996).

Oates, W., Grief, Transition and Loss (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1997).

Peterson, E., Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992).

Price, W., In Transition (Harrisburg: Morehouse, 2002).

Proctor, S. and G. Taylor, We Have this Ministry (Nashville: Judson, 1996).

Sell, C., Transitions (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991).

Smith, D., Empowering Ministry (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1996).

Storms, C., To Love Mercy: Becoming a Person of Compassion, Acceptance and Forgiveness (Colorado: NavPress, 1991).

Tidball, D., Builders and Fools (Leicester: IVP, 1999).

White, P., The Effective Pastor (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2000).

Willimon, W. H., Pastor: the Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry (Nashville: Abingdon, 2002).

Willimon, W. H., Pastor: A Reader for Ordained Ministry (Nashville: Abingdon, 2002).

Woodward, J. and S. Pattison, The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2000).

 

Journals, and periodicals of value

Ames, S. (ed.), Ministry, Society and Theology (Victoria: Bullen).

Beasley Murray, P., Ministry Today (Richard Baxter Institute for Ministry).

Curkpatrick, S. (ed.), Ministry, Society and Theology (Mulgrave, Victoria: Australian Association of Supervised Pastoral Education).

Honeycutt, R. (ed.), Review and Expositor (Louisville: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary).

Marshall, H. I. (ed.), Evangelical Quarterly (Carlisle: Paternoster).

Nuncarrow, T. (ed.), Ministry Digest (Unley, SA: South Australia Mediacom).

Strunk and Orlo (eds), Journal of Pastoral Care (Kutztown: Journal of Pastoral Care).