Changes of Pastoral Care Paradigms in the Korean Context

Abstract

This paper explores the public concern of pastoral care and counseling toward social justice and the change of pastoral care paradigms in the Korean context. In the history of its development, pastoral care and counseling seems to have more focused on caring for individuals rather than for society. Modern models of pastoral care and counseling may face limitations of care ministry because of their individualistic approach to pastoral practice. Stephan Pattison argues that several factors, including professional psychotherapy, individualism, and secularization have influenced our understanding of pastoral care as personal. Pastoral theologians including Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Donald Browning, Edward P. Wimberly, Seward Hiltner, and John Patton explain the development of pastoral theology to include larger communities with a public and historic perspective. Through a historical overview of the pastoral care and counseling movement in the North America, Patton describes the change of pastoral care patterns as a historical shift between three paradigms: classical, clinical pastoral, and communal-contextual. Jae-Sang Lyu argues that all three paradigms co-exist in a combined model within the Korean pastoral context due to the shorter history of pastoral care and counseling in Korea. A paradigm shift in pastoral care would influence the Korean church on achieving meaningful progress toward publicness through extended practices for marginalized people and communities.