Spiritual Direction and the Care of Souls

In recent years, many Christian clergy, laity, and mental health professionals have rediscovered the ancient practices of spiritual direction. Seen as a refreshing alternative to the techniques and limitations of modern psychology, such practices offer new insights for pastoral care. But many remain unclear on what spiritual direction is and whether its methods are applicable to their own clients and parishioners.

Spiritual direction is a practice of Christian soul care that is found most notably in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Episcopal traditions but is also present in Wesleyan/Holiness, Pentecostal/charismatic, social justice, and Reformed communities. Predating modern counseling and psychotherapy movements but sharing key principles and insights for spiritual formation, spiritual direction offers significant resources for today's pastors, counselors, therapists, chaplains, and other caregivers attuned to the work of God in people's lives.

In this landmark volume, editors Gary W. Moon and David G. Benner, along with a team of expert contributors, provide a comprehensive survey of spiritual direction in its myriad Christian forms. Specific chapters offer careful historical perspective and contemporary analysis of how Christians from various backgrounds have practiced spiritual direction, with particular attention to each tradition's definition of spiritual direction, the process of authentic transformation, the role of the spiritual director, indicators of mature spirituality, and other aspects of the spiritual direction process. Chapters also provide psychological and clinical insight into how spiritual direction is similar to, different from, and can be integrated with psychotherapy and pastoral counseling to help others experience spiritual transformation and union with God.



Gary W. Moon (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the founding director of the Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He continues to serve as the director of Conversatio Divina for the Martin Institute. He also serves as distinguished professor of psychology and Christian spirituality at Richmont Graduate University. He is the author of numerous books and curriculum resources including Apprenticeship with Jesus and Falling for God.



David G. Benner is an internationally known depth psychologist, transformational coach, and author whose life passion has been helping people walk the human path in a deeply spiritual way and the spiritual path in a deeply human way. His books include Sacred Companions and the Spiritual Journey trilogy, including The Gift of Being Yourself.

Preface


1. Spiritual Direction and Christian Soul Care - Gary W. Moon and David G. Benner
Part 1: The Seven Major Traditions of Christian Spirituality


2. Spiritual Direction in the Orthodox Christian Tradition - F. Gregory Rogers


3. Spiritual Direction in the Roman Catholic Tradition - Gene Barrette


4. Spiritual Direction in the Episcopal Tradition - Gray Temple


5. Spiritual Direction in the Reformed Tradition - Ben Johnson


6. Spiritual Direction in the Wesleyan-Holiness Tradition - Wesley D. Tracy


7. Spiritual Direction in the Social Justice Tradition - Jerry A. Gladson


8. Spiritual Direction in the Pentecostal/Charismatic Tradition - Oliver McMahan
Part 2: The Three Major Voices of Soul Care


9. Spiritual Direction and Psychotherapy: Conceptual Issues - Len Sperry


10. Spiritual Direction and Psychotherapy: Ethical Issues - Siang-Yang Tan


11. Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Counseling - Israel Galindo


12. Three Voices, One Song: Perspectives on the Care of Persons from a Psychologist, Spiritual Director and Pastoral Counselor - Theresa Clement Tisdale, Carrie E. Doehring and Veneta Lorraine-Poirier


Afterword


List of Contributors


Index