An Interreligious Comparative Study on The Pastoral Metaphor as The Theological Basis of Spiritual Care and Counseling

Abstract

The concept of 'shepherding,' which holds increasing significance in the field of pastoral care and counseling, constitutes the foundation of spiritual counseling in the West. Examining this concept from an interreligious perspective, ranging from etymology to theology, contributes to a deeper understanding of spiritual care and guidance practices. This study addresses the function and importance of the shepher metaphor in the context of spiritual counseling in both Christianity and Islam. The research, conducted through document analysis, identifies the fundamental elements of spiritual counseling practice. This article not only adds to the existing literature but also provides a new perspective on the theological and cultural development of the field often referred to as spiritual counseling and guidance. The relationship between the concept of shepherding and the fundamental principles of spiritual care and counseling is an important topic that needs to be examined in light of contemporary social and cultural changes. By deeply analyzing the role of the shepherding concept in the field of spiritual counseling and guidance, this article points out the similarities and differences of the concept in Christianity and Islam. Therefore, this study serves as a valuable resource for future research in the field of spiritual counseling and guidance.

Keywords

• Pastoral Care and Counseling
• Islam
• Christianity
• Spiritual Care
• Shepherding Metaphor

Manevi Bakım ve Danışmanlığın Teolojik Temeli Olarak Çoban Metaforu Üzerine Dinlerarası Karşılaştırmalı Bir İnceleme

Abstract

Manevi bakım ve danışmanlık alanında giderek artan öneme sahip olan 'çobanlık' kavramı, Batı'da manevi danışmanlığın temelini oluşturmaktadır. Bu kavramın, etimolojiden teolojiye kadar dinler arası bir perspektifle incelenmesi, manevi bakım ve rehberlik pratiklerinin derinlemesine anlaşılmasına katkı sağlamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Hristiyanlık’ta ve İslam’da çobanlık metaforunun manevi danışmanlık bağlamındaki işlevi ve önemi ele alınmıştır. Doküman analizi yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilen araştırma, manevi danışmanlık pratiğinin temel unsurlarını belirlemektedir. Bu makale, mevcut literatürdeki bilgilerin yanı sıra, bazen manevi danışmanlık ve rehberlik olarak adlandırılan alanın teolojik ve kültürel bağlamdaki gelişimine yeni bir bakış açısı getirmektedir. Çünkü çobanlık kavramının, manevi bakım ve danışmanlığın temel prensipleriyle olan ilişkisi, günümüz toplumsal ve kültürel değişimlerin ışığında incelenmesi gereken önemli bir konudur. Bu makale, akademik literatüre çobanlık kavramının manevi danışmanlık ve rehberlik alanındaki rolünü derinlemesine inceleyerek kavramın Hristiyanlık’ta ve İslam’daki benzerlik ve farlılıklarına işaret etmektedir. Dolayısıyla, bu çalışma, manevi danışmanlık ve rehberlik alanındaki araştırmalara katkı sağlayacak bir kaynak niteliği taşımaktadır.

Keywords

• Manevi Danışmanlık ve Rehberlik
• İslam
• Hristiyanlık
• Manevi Bakım
• Çobanlık Metaforu

References

1. Altaş, Nurullah - Mustafa Köylü (ed.). Dini Danışmanlık ve Din Hizmetleri. İstanbul: Ensar Yayınları, 1. Basım, 2014.
2. Ammerman, Nancy T. “Spiritual But Not Religious? Beyond Binary Choices in the Study of Religion”. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 52/2 (2013), 258-278.
3. Ayten, Ali (ed.). Manevi Danışmanlık ve Rehberlik Teori ve Uygulama Alanları. İstanbul: Dem Yayınları, 2017.
4. Baharuddin, Elmi Bin - Ismail, Zainab Binti. “7 Domains of Spiritual Intelligence from Islamic Perspective”. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 211 (2015), 568-577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.075
5. Bakır, Ercan vd. “Spiritual Experiences of Muslim Critical Care Nurses”. Journal of Religion and Health 56/6 (2017), 2118-2128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0382-4
6. Block, Daniel I. The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1–24. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A: Eerdmans, 1997.
7. Boaheng, Isaac - Osei, Isaac Justice. “A Study of John 21:15-17: Toward a Shepherd Model of Christian Ministry”. E-Journal of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences 3/12 (2022), 636-647. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20223129
8. Cebeci, Suat. Dini Danışma ve Rehberlik. Ankara: Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, 2012.

9. Coşkunsever, Asude. “Manevi Danışmanlık ve Rehberlik Alanında Yüksek Lisans Yapan Öğrencilerin Alandan Beklentileri”. Dergiabant 11/2 (2023), 298-322. https://doi.org/10.33931/dergiabant.1332226
10. Daniels, David. “Reterritorizing the West in World Christianity: Black North Atlantic Christianity and the Edinburgh Conferences of 1910 and 2010”, Journal of World Christianity 5/1 (2012), 102-123. https://doi.org/10.5325/jworlchri.5.1.0102
11. Davis, John J. The Perfect Shepherd: Studies in the Twenty-Third Psalm. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A: Baker Book House, 1979.
12. Emmons, Robert A. “Is Spirituality an Intelligence? Motivation, Cognition, and the Psychology of Ultimate Concern”. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 10/1 (2000), 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327582IJPR1001_2
13. Ersan, Abdulkerim. Bireysel ve Toplumsal Sorumluluk Açısından 'Hepiniz Çobansınız' Hadisi (Tahriç ve Değerlendirme). İstanbul: Marmara Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2008.
14. Gilliat-Ray, Sophie. Understanding Muslim Chaplaincy. Farnham: Routledge, 2013.
15. Greider, Kathleen J. “Religious Pluralism and Christian Pastoral Theology1”. Journal of Pastoral Theology 22/2 (2012), 3/1-3/21. https://doi.org/10.1179/jpt.2012.22.2.003
16. Gunter, Nathan H. “The Shepherd-leader Motif as a Pastoral Model for a Globalizing Church”. Perichoresis 16/3 (2018), 87-105. https://doi.org/10.2478/perc-2018-0018
17. Gürsu, Orhan. Manevi Danışmanlar İçin Kılavuz Danışma İlke, Beceri ve Teknikleri. İstanbul: Çamlıca Yayınları, 2022.
18. Haryanto, Sri. “Islamic Review of Spiritual Intelligence”. Journal International Dakwah and Communication 4/1 (2024), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.55849/jidc.v4i1.573
19. Hiebert, Paul G. Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A: Baker Books, 1994.
20. Hill, Peter C. - Pargament, Kenneth I. “Advances in the Conceptualization and Measurement of Religion and Spirituality: Implications for Physical and Mental Health Research”. The American Psychologist 58/1 (Ocak 2003), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.58.1.64
21. Hiltner, Seward. The Christian Shepherd; Some Aspects of Pastoral Care. New York: Abingdon Press, 1959. Hyman, Corine - Handal, Paul J. “Definitions and Evaluation of Religion and Spirituality Items by Religious Professionals: A Pilot Study”. Journal of Religion and Health 45/2 (2006), 264-282.
22. Jones, Phil. “Pastoral Care in Education for the 21st Century ”. Pastoral Care in Education 40/3 (2022), 360-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2022.2099005
23. Khalajinia, Zohre vd. “Explaining the Perception of Spiritual Care from the Perspective of Health Personnel: A Qualitative Study”. Journal of Education and Health Promotion 10/53 (2021), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_599_20
24. Koç, Mustafa vd. (ed.). Manevi Danışmanlık ve Rehberlik. 2 Cilt. İstanbul: Dem Yayınları, 2018.
25. Lincoln, Andrew T. “The Use of the OT in Ephesians”. Journal for the Study of the New Testament 4/14 (1982), 16-57. https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X8200401402
26. Litonjua, M. D. “Spiritual, but Not Religious: Untangling a Seeming Paradox”. International Review of Modern Sociology 42/1 (2016), 21-55.
27. Long, Ibrahim J. - Ansari, Bilal. “Islamic Pastoral Care and the Development of Muslim Chaplaincy”. Journal of Muslim Mental Health 12/1 (2018), 109-121. https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0012.105
28. MacArthur, John F. Pastoral Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2022.
29. Marler, Penny Long - Hadaway, C. Kirk. “‘Being Religious’ or ‘Being Spiritual’ in America: A Zero-Sum Proposition?” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 41/2 (2002), 289-300. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5906.00117
30. McClure, Barbara. “Pastoral Care”. The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Practical Theology. ed. Bonnie J. Miller - McLemore. 267-278. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2011.
31. Morris, Wayne. Salvation as Praxis: A Practical Theology of Salvation for a Multi-Faith World. London: Bloomsbury, 2014.
32. Pargament, Kenneth I. “The Psychology of Religion and Spirituality? Yes and No”. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 9/1 (Ocak 1999), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327582ijpr0901_2
33. Pattison, Stephen. The Challenge of Practical Theology: Selected Essays. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007.
34. Paver, John E. Theological Reflection and Education for Ministry: The Search for Integration in Theology. Aldershot, England ; Burlington, VT: Routledge, 2006.
35. Puchalski, Christina vd. “Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care: The Report of the Consensus Conference”. Journal of Palliative Medicine 12/10 (2009), 885-904. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2009.0142
36. Purdy, Noel. “The İmportance of Pastoral Care in Education to Supportthe Mental Health of Children and Young People”. Pastoral Care in Education 42/1 (2024), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2024.2310335
37. Ramezani, Mohsen vd. “Spiritual Care in Nursing: A Concept Analysis”. International Nursing Review 61/2 (2014), 211-219. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12099
38. Rassool, G. Hussein. “The Crescent and Islam: Healing, Nursing and the Spiritual Dimension. Some Considerations towards an Understanding of the Islamic Perspectives on Caring”. Journal of Advanced Nursing 32/6 (2000), 1476-1484. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01614.x
39. Sak, Ramazan vd. “Bir araştırma yöntemi olarak doküman analizi”. Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi 4/1 (2021), 227-256. https://doi.org/10.33400/kuje.843306
40. Savage,David. Non-Religious Pastoral Care: A Practical Guide. London and New York: Routledge, 2018. Schlehofer, Michèle M. vd. “How Do ‘Religion’ and ‘Spirituality’ Differ? Lay Definitions among Older Adults”. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 47/3 (2008), 411-425.
41. Schmidt, Kurt W. - Egler, Gisela. “A Christian for the Christians, a Muslim for the Muslims? Reflections on a Protestant View of Pastoral Care for all Religions”. Christian bioethics: Non-Ecumenical Studies in Medical Morality 4/3 (1998), 239-256. https://doi.org/10.1093/chbi.4.3.239.6898
42. Schnell, Tatjana. “Spirituality with and without Religion—Differential Relationships with Personality”. Archiv für Religionspsychologie / Archive for the Psychology of Religion 34/1 (2012), 33-61. Söylev, Ömer Faruk. “Dinî Danışma ve Rehberliğin Teolojik Temellerine İslâmî Yaklaşım”. Diyanet İlmi Dergi 53/2 (2017), 75-100.
43. Stevens, R. Paul. “Living Theologically: Toward a Theology of Christian Practice”. Themelios 20/3 (1995), 4-8. Stitzinger, James F. “Pastoral Ministry in History”. The Master’s Seminary Journal 6/2 (1995), 143-180.
44. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. “'One Rule to Rule Them All?’ Theological Method in an Era of World Christianity”. Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity. ed. Craig Ott - Harold A. Netland. 85-126. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A: Baker Academic, 2006.
45. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
46. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. - Strachan, Owen. The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A: Baker Academic, 2015.
47. Varlı,Nazife. “Erken Dönem İslâm Âlimlerinin Psikolojiye Katkıları: Akıl, Nefs, Ruh Kavramları”. Antakiyat/Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 2/1 (2019), 67-89.
48. Wade, George Woosung. The Books of the Prophets Micah, Obadiah, Joel and Jonah / with Introduction and Notes by G.W. Wade. London: Methuen, 1925.
49. Weathers, Elizabeth. “Spirituality and Health: A Middle Eastern Perspective”. Religions 9/2 (2018), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9020033
50. Woodbridge, Noel B. “Living Theologically – Towards a Theology of Christian Practice in Terms of the Theological Triad of Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy and Orthopathy as Portrayed in Isaiah 6:1–8: A Narrative Approach”. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 66/2 (2010), 1-6.
51. Yüksel Çamur, Fatma. “Dini Danışmanlıkta Danışan Danışman İlişkisi Hadisler Çerçevesinde Teolojik Bir Bakış”. Hitit Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 19/2 (2020), 647-678. https://doi.org/10.14395/hititilahiyat.775491
52. Zeitlin,Solomon.“The Am Haarez: A Study in the Social and Economic Life of the Jews before and after the Destruction of the Second Temple”. The Jewish Quarterly Review 23/1 (1932), 45-61. https://doi.org/10.2307/1451568
53. Zinnbauer, Brian J. vd. “Religion and Spirituality: Unfuzzying the Fuzzy”. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 36/4 (1997), 549-564. https://doi.org/10.2307/1387689