Pastoral care
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pastoral care is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church, congregation or persons within a faith-based institution. This can range anywhere from home visitation to formal counseling provided by pastors who are licensed to offer counseling services. This is also frequently referred to as spiritual care.
'Pastoral care' is also a term applied where people offer help and caring to others in their church or wider community. Pastoral care in this sense can be applied to listening, supporting, encouraging and befriending.
Pastoral care can also be a term generally applied to the practice of looking after the personal and social wellbeing of children under the care of a teacher. It can encompass a wide variety of issues including health, social and moral education, behaviour management and emotional support.
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[edit] Definition of pastoral role
[edit] In Christianity
The Bible does not explicitly define the role of a Pastor, but does associate it with teaching[1]. Pastoral care involves shepherding the flock. This is a loving way of caring for people rather than controlling them.
...Shepherding involves protection, tending to needs, strengthening the weak, encouragement, feeding the flock, making provision, shielding, refreshing, restoring, leading by example to move people on in their pursuit of holiness, comforting, guiding (Pss 78: 52; 23)[2].
[edit] Pastoral care
[edit] Protestant churches
There are many assumptions on what a Pastor's care is. Commonly, a Pastor's main job is to preach messages in mainline Protestant churches. On top of preaching sermons, Pastors are also assumed to be involved in local ministries, such as hospital chaplaincy, visitation, funerals, weddings and organizing religious activities. Pastoral care, therefore, is both encouraging their local congregation, and bringing new people into the church. This is not to say that the congregation is not to be involved in both activities, but that the pastor should be the initiator.
[edit] Roman Catholicism
In Catholic theology, pastoral care for the sick and infirm is one of the most significant ways that members of the Body of Christ continue the ministry and mission of Jesus. Pastoral care is considered to be the responsibility of all the baptized.
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Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2009) |
[edit] Eastern Orthodox
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Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2009) |
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "Ephesians 4:10-12". http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=56&chapter=4&verse=10&end_verse=12&version=31&context=context. Retrieved on 2008-12-09.
- ^ Rowdon, Harold. Church Leaders Hand Book. p. 227. ISBN 9780900128233.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- National Association of Catholic Chaplains, Pastoral Care vs. Spiritual Care.
