Living Stories of Resilience, Resistance, and Resourcefulness

Abstract

The articles in this special issue of the journal were presented as working papers at two conferences of the Group for New Directions in Pastoral Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary on May 7–9 and October 1–3, 2014. Papers from previous conferences have been published as articles in Pastoral Psychology in the December 2010, June 2011, August 2012, October 2013, and December 2014 issues. We are deeply indebted to Lewis Rambo, editor of Pastoral Psychology, for enabling us to publish the articles as a group. As in previous years, these two conferences had a common theme: BLiving Stories of Resilience, Resistance, and Resourcefulness.^ This theme, which emerged from the closing discussions at the previous year’s conferences in which participants were invited to propose the next year’s theme, was chosen because pastoral theology, as a discipline, has focused over the years on the personal and collective experiences of individuals, families, friendship and support groups, local communities, congregations, and other religious groups; in addition, it has given particular attention to the racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, economic, and health-related issues and concerns that these entities experience on an ongoing basis. As a group dedicated to the recognition and development of Bnew directions^ in pastoral theology, we hoped to develop ideas and strategies for addressing these issues and concerns in new and helpful ways. The theme’s emphasis on Bliving stories^ reflects the insight that came into prominence several decades ago that pastoral theology tends to be story-oriented. Whether the focus of attention is an individual, family, friendship or support group, local community, congregation, or other religious group or organization, pastoral theological studies have typically employed stories to illustrate and explore the concerns and issues being addressed. This story-orientation has its basis in the traditional emphasis of the discipline on the case study, which has been, and continues to be, a prominent feature of chaplaincy and pastoral counseling. However, the story-orientation allows for addressing the racial, ethnic, gender, Pastoral Psychol (2015) 64:549–551 DOI 10.1007/s11089-015-0667-z