Stephen Barkley
The goal of this Blackwell Reader is clear:
This book aims to give students of pastoral and practical theology, together with those involved in ministry and pastoral care, some basic written resources for understanding and expanding their knowledge of this burgeoning subject. (xiii)
Mission accomplished. Over two decades later, this “burgeoning subject” is thriving and this reader remains a diverse introduction to the field. This volume collects works from leading figures in the practical theological field: Don Browning, Elaine Graham, Edward Farley, and Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore to name a few.
The first chapter written by editors Pattison and Woodward is worth the price of admission. This solid summary of the state of practical theology at the turn of the millennium is oft quoted for the author’s “provisional working definition of pastoral and practical theology” (6):
Pastoral/practical theology is a place where religious belief, tradition and practice meets contemporary experiences, questions and actions and conducts a dialogue that is mutually enriching, intellectually critical, and practically transforming. (7)
The articles in this reader are divided into four main sections:
- Modern Pastoral and Practical Theology in Historical Perspective
- Approaches and Methods in Pastoral and Practical Theology
- Relating Theory and Practice to Perspectives and Issues in Pastoral and Practical Theology
- Evaluating Pastoral and Practical Theology
Of these four sections, the first two are the most helpful for any student of the field. The third section is interesting although many of the articles here have become dated since they deal with contemporary issues. The fourth section with its meager two chapters describes the editor’s aspirations. Frankly, not much work had been done on the evaluation of practical theology by the year 2000.
Any student of practical theology should have this historic volume at hand.
Woodward, James and Stephen Pattison eds. The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology. Blackwell, 2000.
