Pastoral Theology
Essays

The role of the minister in a community is crucial for the way in which that community develops in the good practices of the Lord and in the spirit of the Church. He represents a vital figure in the society and a respected individual of the community as a whole. However, this role and this position is provided not necessarily by the specific clothes he wears but by their significance in relation to the teachings of God.

Evaluation of Elaine L. Graham's Transforming Practice: Pastoral Theology in an Age of Uncertainty In Transforming Practice: Pastoral Theology in an Age of Uncertainty, Elaine L. Graham addresses Traditional, Postmodern, Liberation and Feminist perspectives on Theology and ultimately on Pastoral Theology. In order to address these perspectives, Graham traces the historical development of each, current theological realities, and prospective "horizons." The result is an extensive review of the Pastoral Theolog(y)(ies) of the Church and its faith communit(y)(ies), viewed very strongly through the feminist pastoral perspective.

Two of the paragraphs in chapter one refer to one of the most interesting concepts of the Orthodox faith, namely the concept of economia. The two paragraphs I am referring to both define the concept and put it into an…

The first chapter defines the notion of shepherding, which actually means to lead. It also points to the sources that the hierarchy of the Church relies on and how these sources define the shepherd of the Orthodox faith. It thus looks at different examples from the Old and New Testament where the notion appears, with the aim of better understanding the origins of the meaning and concept. Christ is the ultimate shepherd, notably The Shepherd. From him, the ministry leads to shepherding in the body of the Church. The first chapter continues to point to the main function in the Christ's ministry, but also emphasizes that Christ and his ministry are one. This results from different elements, including the fact that it is Christ who is always at work and who is what he does.

Pastoral Theology: What it means to 'read the signs'