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We will discuss here what is pastoral care and Counselling in basic Biblical and theological understanding. If you want to know what is Pastoral care and counseling, then this post is for you. We hope you will learn more about what is Pastoral care and counseling or Pastoral ministry if you read.
What is Pastoral care?
Pastoral care is one of the important ministries of the church. Throughout the Bible, we read about the act of God’s caring for his people. It is also understood as the ‘care of the soul’ and has a theological ground. Through the Bible, God addressed as Israelites shepherd who is the one who watches guides, feeds, provides, protects leads and controls them. (Jn 18:1-11; 21: 16, 17)
Old Testament basis of care and Counselling
The book of Moses attributed God as creator (Gen) Liberator (ex) and Sustainer. The historical books reflect our god’s caring acts by anointing judges, kings, priests, and prophets. A Book of job deals with human suffering. The prophetic book deals with God’s justice, peace, and hope. God cares for the community as well as individuals.
New Testament basis of care and Counselling
God’s service work can understand as regaining the broken relationship with his creation. Jesus Christ became God’s instrument or mediator in this task of reconciliation. In Christ, we find God’s care to all humanity. The new creation was work possible through Jesus Christ. Jesus identifies himself with the suffering of humanity. Christ, therefore, became the best model of pastoral care and Counselling. (ex18:1, 2; Deut 25:5-10: Jn4; jn8:1-11; 19:1-10).
a) S. Hiltner
According to S. Hiltner, the aim of pastoral care and Counselling is the same as the aim of the church.
b) Richard Niebuhr
According to Richard Niebuhr, the central theme of OT and NT is to increase among men the love of soul and neighbors, in other words, a reconciliation to God and fellow beings. For him, love of God is reconciliation to life itself as well as loyalty to God’s creation.
c) Clinebell
According to Clinebell, Pastoral care and counseling are ways of doing theology the relationship between the practice of pastoral care and Counselling and our biblical heritage is like a two ways street. The counselor (the pastor) and his people struggle together with basic theological issue on a deep personal level. Sin and solution, alienation and reconciliation, guilt and forgiveness, judgment; and grace, spiritual death and rebirth, despair and hope interwoven in the fabric of healing; gathering interaction between pastor and his people.