Course Syllabus

Instructors: Rev. Dr. Jason C. Whitehead, PhD, Paula Lee and Patrick Prag (Teaching Assistants)
E-mail: jwhitehead@iliff.edu
Office Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs; 10-4

Course Synopsis

This course introduces the practice of pastoral and spiritual care based upon pastoral, theological, psychological and ethical perspectives. Basic methods and skills of pastoral and spiritual care will be taught, along with an intercultural contextual approach to care that draws upon postmodern approaches to religious knowledge. This course forms students to be pastoral and spiritual caregivers within a spiritually and socially complex world in ways that deeply engage religious and cultural traditions.

Books and Resources

Assignments

Book Review List (Please choose one to read for this quarter)

Care of Persons, Care of Worlds: A Psychosystems Approach to Pastoral Care and Counseling by Larry Graham. ISBN-10: 0687046750 (This book is reserved for students who have already taken a course in theology).

Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling, 3rd Edition by Howard Clinebell. ISBN-10: 0687663806 This book was used as a textbook from the 70’s through the 90’s in more liberal seminaries.

Cultivating Wholeness: A Guide to Care and Counseling in Faith Communities ISBN-10: 0826412327 by Margaret Kornfeld. Also previously used as a textbook, Kornfeld takes a practical approach to teaching readers what to listen for and how to respond in care situations. Kornfeld was influenced by some of the more postmodern approaches to pastoral care and counseling.

Pastoral Care in Context ISBN-10: 0664220347 by John Patton. This text takes a broader view of spiritual/pastoral care, both theologically and historically. Patton highlights the limitations of clinical approaches to care, choosing instead to focus on the communal contextual nature of pastoral care.

Creamer, Debbie. Disability and Christian Theology: Embodied Limits and Constructive Possibilities. New York : Oxford University Press, 2009. ISBN-10: 0195369157

Leslie, Kristen Jane. When violence is no stranger: pastoral counseling with survivors of acquaintance rape. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.ASIN: B002SG7N72

Marshall, Joretta L. Counseling Lesbian Partners. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997. ISBN-10: 0664255329

Montilla, R Esteban.  Pastoral Care and Counseling with Latino/as. Augsburg: Fortress Press, May, 2006. ISBN-10: 0800638204

Nelson, James.  Thirst: God and the Alcoholic Experience. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. ISBN-10: 0664226884

Neuger, Christie. Counseling Women: A Narrative, Pastoral Approach. Augsburg: Fortress, 2001. ASIN: B002SG6HVU

Thornton, Sharon G. Broken Yet Beloved: A Pastoral Theology of the Cross. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2002. (Choose this book if you have had at least one course in theology).  ISBN-10: 0827202326

Watkins Ali, Carroll. Survival and Liberation: Pastoral Theology in African American Context. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 1999. ISBN-10: 0827234430

Whitehead, Jason. Redeeming Fear: A Constructive Theology for Living into Hope. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2013. ISBN-10: 0800699149

Wimberley, Edward. Counseling African American Marriages and Families. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997. ISBN-10: 0664256562

See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.