@article{article_286648, title={An Evaluation of Basic Concepts and Historical Background of Pastoral Care and Counseling}, journal={Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi}, volume={21}, pages={255–296}, year={2017}, DOI={10.18505/cuid.286648}, author={Söylev, Ömer}, keywords={Religious Counseling and Guidance,Psychology,Psychotherapy,Pastoral Care,Pastoral Counseling}, abstract={<p style="text-align:justify;"> Until
the 19th century in which psychology emerged as a scientific discipline,
problems that are related to humans always were interpreted with philosophical
considerations. In time, philosophical movements such as positivism and
materialism have led psychology as a scientific branch to have its own concepts
and methods. Religion has been excluded from scientific research for a long
period under the influence of the paradigms that dominate the science in this
process. Despite the negative attitudes of scholars to religion, Christian
clergy closely followed scientific developments in the fields such as
philosophy and psychology. Pastoral care and counseling concepts and methods
based on today’s religious counseling and guidance have emerged, as
traditionally maintained "pastoral care" activities within the
framework of church services have been influenced by developments in psychology
and psychotherapy. After the 1960s, pastoral care and counseling, which has a
tendency to be widespread throughout the world, has become a focus of interest
in religious institutions and academic community in Turkey in recent years.
This article focuses on basic concepts and historical background of pastoral
care and counseling in order to contribute to the study of the subject’s
realization in Islamic culture. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:150%;"> <span style="line-height:150%;">The modern way of
life has not only accelerated social change, but has also changed individual
needs. Rapid change and differentiated needs brought with it a number of
psychological problems. Accordingly, psychological processes affecting the
human being and causing illness have begun to be examined. On the other hand,
the values and belief systems of life have also been affected by change, and
important changes and developments have taken place in institutional religious
structures and religious services. For this reason, the necessity of learning
the perspective and attitude of religion in the face of new events and
situations emerging from one side, the need for psychological help and spiritual
support in the face of suffering and crises experienced from the other side is
increasing. In short, religion has become an area where people need guidance
because they are forced to move on their own. </span> </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:150%;"> <span style="line-height:150%;">Since the
pioneering work in the area of pastoral care and counseling has emerged
entirely as a Christian activity, the first concepts of this field are closely
related to Christian culture. "Pastoral care", which is the basic
concept of pastoral care and counselling, usually refers to religious counseling
and guidance services performed by priests, especially outside the church. The
foundations of today’s pastoral care and counseling services are pastoral care
activities, which are spiritual support, advice and consultation given by
Christian religious men. There are also the origins of Christian theology, such
as the doctrine of Christ and the Trinity, the teachings of salvation through
grace, infallibility of the Church, the understanding of priesthood, the
institution of confession and the status of the Church. </span> </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:150%;"> <span style="line-height:150%;">Pastoral care and
pastoral counseling are forms of help that can be distinguished from each other
to some extent. The difference lies in the related psychological dynamics
rather than moral stance when priests are working with people. For this reason,
the largest and most extensive pastoral activity between the two is strictly
pastoral care. These activities are more or less structured general
relationships with formal and informal conversations, dialogues and other
communication interactions and with young people, couples, adults and various
other groups. The aid associations, referred to as pastoral counseling, include
aid activities that are structured within the framework of a specific place and
a certain period of time, differently from the general and everywhere
feasibility of pastoral care activities, in which case there is a need for care
and time for the pastor. The distinctive point here is that the individual has
more psychological condition and problems. </span> </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:150%;"> <span style="line-height:150%;">The emergence of
religious counseling and guidance as an institutional service area is directly
related to the reform movements and the transformation of the industrial
revolution over the social organization of Western European countries and the
establishment of religious institutions. As a matter of fact, Catholics, and
especially Orthodox people, were more cautious in their newly developing
psycho}, number={1}, publisher={Sivas Cumhuriyet University}