Foundations of pastoral care will be explored with an emphasis upon cultural context, ethnic diversity, gender, sexual orientation, age, education, religious orientation, and socioeconomic status. From these perspectives, students will develop a pastoral care communication model for relating to individuals in their own contexts and environments.
Everyone ministers within a context. Unless the minister recognizes his or her own biases and the distinctivess of the others', then missional efforts will be degraded. This course helps fill this need.
Students need to understand the state of the formal study of pastoral care in order to benefit from these fields of study without compromising their biblical faith and commitment to reaching others for the sake of Christ.
Ministry throughout the diaspora is a major theme in the book of Acts. Included in this movement is resolving issues across cultural norms. Missional activity is the heart of pastoral care, reaching others in the name of Christ..
Those engaged in pastoral care are to live out their calling with their roots in biblical faith, caring for others involves reaching out to others where they are with all of their patients' hurts and pains in the name of Christ.
Pastoral care may take the place in an institutional setting rather than a church. Diverse sociological and cultural foundations and helped develop the field it exists today. Biblical ethical principles helps bring help these isues into perspectives for ministering to diverse cultures.
In most ministry settings, within or outside the church context, ministry is provided to those in different cultural settings, whose norms must been understood and respected where appropriate.
Understanding the principles behind the sociological and cultural influences behind the field of pastoral care help the biblically oriented pastoral caregiver understanding the presuppositions and principles of pastoral care in the daily setting.
Sociological and cultural studies behind the development of pastoral care involve case studies and examples from one's own ministry.
