title: Pastoral counseling as a spiritual practice: an exercise in a theology of spirituality.
abstract: The author explores reasons for differentiating pastoral care from spiritual care and presents a theological exercise in articulating pastoral counseling as a spiritual practice. Viewing spirituality from systemic and constructivist perspectives, the author utilizes Paul Tillich's ontology of polarities. He describes spirituality as a subjective, "fuzzy," and inclusive concept and argues for the need for pastoral specialists to theologically articulate their ministry not only as a pastoral but also as a spiritual discipline.
authors.affiliation: Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5.
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: VanKatwyk
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality; D014481:United States