Tending Soul, Mind, and Body - (Center for Pastor Theologians) by Gerald L Hiestand & Todd Wilson (Paperback)

About the Book

Jesus consistently demonstrated his concern and love for the whole person, and that task is carried forward today by church leaders. Based on the 2018 CPT conference, this volume brings together reflections by pastors, theologians, and psychologists who explore the relationships among three fields of study--theological anthropology, spiritual formation, and modern psychology--resulting in a vibrant whole-person theology.

Book Synopsis

Throughout his ministry, Jesus consistently demonstrated his concern and love for the whole person: soul, mind, and body.

That task is carried forward today by pastors and church leaders, who are called to care for people in the midst of individual circumstances as well as seismic cultural shifts. How might that calling be informed by recent developments in psychology? How should the church attend to matters of mental health? How might psychology and counseling aid us in our spiritual formation?

Based on the 2018 Center for Pastor Theologians conference, this volume brings together reflections by pastors, theologians, and psychologists who explore the relationships among three fields of study-theological anthropology, spiritual formation, and modern psychology. The result is a vibrant whole-person theology that can aid the church today in its centuries-old call to care for the soul, mind, and body.

Based on annual CPT conferences, the volumes in the Center for Pastor Theologians series bring together the reflections of pastors and theologians who desire to make ongoing contributions to the wider scholarly community for the renewal of both theology and the church.

Review Quotes

"Here we have a wonderful and eclectic set of essays that respectfully challenge many of the assumptions of the contemporary spiritual formation movement. This type of careful work, which is informed by the realities of church life, aware of social science findings, and committed to fresh theological reflection on spiritual formation is so important today. While this volume challenges many of the current assumptions and ways of framing spiritual formation, it does so with a respectful and constructive tone. It is worth reading to help one move beyond slogans to the kind of theory building that will enrich our spiritual formation."

"I can hardly imagine a book that speaks more fully and directly into the issues I am dealing with as a pastor thanTending Soul, Mind, and Body. In our Southern California church, we say that when people come to faith in Jesus and become a part of our church family, we will give attention to the growth and development of the whole of their lives until 'each one is complete in Christ' (Col 1:28). However, that statement means that we have to address issues related to people's emotional challenges, physical well-being, mental health, and spiritual nurture. I find I need help from scholars and practitioners, theologians and psychologists, as well as anthropologists and exegetes. This book brings together all these resources. It is a relevant, excellent, and much-needed volume that speaks to the most important issues of our human condition while being firmly rooted in the gospel. I recommend it without reservation."

"In the church we have often failed to integrate our spiritual life with the rest of our humanity, resulting in a truncated vision of discipleship. We rightly emphasize evangelism, Bible reading, and prayer but are underprepared to help the mentally ill, the lonely, the addicted, or the traumatized. These helpful essays draw from multiple disciplines and address a wide array of topics to encourage a more holistic understanding of spiritual formation."

"This collection of essays points to the heart of one of the most pressing issues in the church today-the nature and task of spiritual formation. For pastors, academics, and laity alike, there is much here to be pondered and put into practice. Think alongside these thoughtful chapters and consider how we may faithfully engage the question of spiritual formation for the church today."

"This marvelous collection of thoughtful, well-researched essays will prove a boon to pastors and others engaged in spiritual formation. Though deeply rooted in the details of theological anthropology and modern psychology, they offer practical advice for tending to the needs of the whole person in the context of the church. Many thanks to the up-and-coming Center for Pastor Theologians for leading the way in the promotion of profound and utterly relevant ecclesial theology."

About the Author

Todd Wilson (PhD, University of Cambridge) is the president and cofounder of the Center for Pastor Theologians. He is the author of Mere Sexuality: Rediscovering the Christian Vision of Sexuality and Real Christian: Bearing the Marks of Authentic Faith, coauthor of The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision, and coeditor of Becoming a Pastor Theologian; Beauty, Order, and Mystery; and Creation and Doxology.

Gerald L. Hiestand (PhD, University of Reading) is the senior pastor at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois, and the cofounder and director of the Center for Pastor Theologians. He is coauthor of The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision and coeditor of Becoming a Pastor Theologian; Beauty, Order, and Mystery; and Creation and Doxology.