African Pastoral Counseling

This is the first time an author has listened to pastors in Africa and compared her findings with pastoral counseling from a Western perspective. Pastoral Counseling in Africa and the West presents a practical record of pastoral counseling in Africa. It accounts for the wide difference between pastoral counseling in Africa and the West considering that pastoral counselors in Africa received Western theological training. It presents a theological perspective of the pastoral counseling ministry in Africa and the West. It also presents both perspectives as professional partners in conversation with each other. “Thank God for providing trained experts like Dr. Daramola to enlighten His people. I have every confidence this publication is only the first installment. More GRACE to her elbows!” Emmanuel Oladipo Former International Secretary Scripture Union

This is the first time an author has listened to pastors in Africa. This book presents a practical record of pastoral counseling in Africa. It accounts for the wide difference between pastoral counseling in Africa and the West considerting that the pastoral counselors in Africa received Western theological training. It also presents a theological perspective of the pastoral counseling ministry in Africa and the West. As concerns their counseling role, if we may borrow an expression from the children of Israel in Egypt, our pastors are being asked: to make bricks without straw. This is because they receive practically no training for this aspect of their work. Evidently, the grace of God is very much involved; otherwise, a lot of tragedy would be the normal result of what is sometimes the blind leading the blind. Counseling in the context of the church was the field of research for Dr. Ibidun Daramola. Her scholarly study has resulted in valuable contribution to knowledge in the highest degree. She has documented for us some things we suspected but did not know for sure, some things we thought we knew but actually did not know, and some things we did not even know we need to know. - Emmanuel Oladipo

The coming of Colonization and Christianity to Africa and other indigenous cross-cultural contexts was a “mixed bag” of pros and cons. The impact of the advent of the two has had a lasting effect being felt even today. It created issues of bi-culturalism and bi-religiousness in personal and religious identities that counselors and the church need to address when working with people from these contexts. There is the existence of deep cultural trauma (including psychological and spiritual scars) needing healing for those living in most of these post-colonial contexts. The Western counseling approaches and Christian rituals need contextualization. A counselor or pastoral caregiver with an integrative consciousness is required to address the psychological and religious identity conflicts existing in African and other indigenous cross-cultural contexts.

Pastoral theologians from Congo, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe address, in this book, the issues of leadership, Ubuntu (community), gender-based violence, political violence, healing, and deliverance faced by pastors and ministers in African contexts today. Drawing on biblical, theological, social scientific, and cultural contextual perspectives, these African Christians offer much needed insights to assist in the care and counseling of persons towards healing, health, and well-being.

Pastoral theologians from Congo, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe address, in this book, the issues of leadership, Ubuntu (community), gender-based violence, political violence, healing, and deliverance faced by pastors and ministers in African contexts today. Drawing on biblical, theological, social scientific, and cultural contextual perspectives, these African Christians offer much needed insights to assist in the care and counseling of persons towards healing, health, and well-being.