POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AS A RESOURCE FOR PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND CARE: A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT

Abstract

This article explores the potential of positive psychology as a conversation partner for pastoral theology and its related practical disciplines. It begins with a brief introduction to the field of positive psychology, followed by a review of pastoral theologian Robert Wicks’ use of positive psychology in a recent text and a reflection on implications for pastoral theology and care. The article then offers a critical evaluation of positive psychology, noting its strengths and weaknesses from a pastoral theological perspective, as well as critiques in the scholarly and popular literature. The article concludes with a preliminary assessment of the value of positive psychology for the field of pastoral theology and care.