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christian counseling today
Vol. 21 no. 2
usually beginning with Freud, Adler, and Jung, who developed
theories and models of psychotherapy. They were followed by
others who embraced a secular, naturalistic worldview that has
permeated much of contemporary psychology and counseling.
This influence infiltrated the pastoral care and counseling
movement to the extent that, by the 1970s, no references
could be found to any classical pastoral care writers, such as
Chrysostom, Augustine, Gregory the Great, Martin Luther,
John Calvin, or Richard Baxter, in basic pastoral care text-
books written in the 20th century (Oden, 1980). While 19th
century textbooks drew from these historical figures, they were
completely ignored or forgotten in the representative 20th
century texts, which deferred to the authority of Freud, Jung,
Rogers, Fromm, Sullivan, and Berne (Oden, 1980). What, if
anything, from the previous 1,800 years had been lost?
The ministry of helping people has a rich history, begin-
ning in Scripture and on into the writings of the historical
Church, where the
cura animarum
, or cure of souls, was an
essential component of pastoral work. Such ministry incorpo-
rated the shepherding tasks of healing, sustaining, guiding, and
reconciling troubled people (Hiltner, 1958; Clebsch & Jaekle,
1964). Examples of wise pastoral care included the importance
of: 1)
personal preparation
: placing God first, caring for self,
and demonstrating concern for our neighbor (Augustine);
seeking godly wisdom (Augustine); keeping both the body and
mind healthy (Luther); showing personal integrity and matu-
rity (Polycarp); 2)
spiritual orientation
: seeking the presence
of God and finding meaning and hope in the midst of crises
and tragedies (Gregory of Nyssa, Taylor); 3)
interventions and
prevention
: using all available, biblically-acceptable resources
(Augustine, Calvin); actively helping and taking the initia-
tive in counseling (Apostle John, Taylor); using prayer, fasting,
spiritual preparation, and challenging erroneous thinking
(Apostle John, Baxter, Luther); calling for confession, repen-
tance, mutual accountability, and discipline (Chrysostom,
Calvin, Bucer, Zinzendorf ); affirming and encouraging positive
behavior (Gregory the Great); using social support systems and
systematic consultation (Luther, Baxter); using appropriate
distraction, humor, and correction techniques (Luther); antici-
pating the problem of relapse and self-deception (Cyprian,
Gregory the Great); communicating in the language and style
of the listener (Gregory the Great, Herbert, Gerard); correctly
reading body language (Gregory the Great); and 4)
resources
:
having an adequate referral system (Herbert).