CITE: Lake F. Clinical Theology: A Theological and Psychiatric Basis to Clinical Pastoral Care. London: Darton, Longman & Todd; 1966.
SUMMARY
Clinical Theology is a book that explores the relationship between theology and psychiatry in the context of clinical pastoral care. The author, Frank Lake, draws upon his experience as a psychiatrist and a theological counselor to offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the nature of human beings, their needs, and how they can be addressed through pastoral care. The book is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the theoretical foundations of clinical theology, examining topics such as the nature of man, the nature of the world, and the relationship between the two. The second part of the book explores the practical application of clinical theology to the practice of pastoral care.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Clinical theology is an approach that seeks to integrate the insights of both psychiatry and theology in order to provide a holistic approach to pastoral care.
- Lake argues that understanding the nature of man and the world is essential to providing effective pastoral care.
- The book emphasizes the importance of taking a person-centered approach to pastoral care, recognizing the unique needs and experiences of each individual.
- Lake’s approach is grounded in a Christian worldview, but he emphasizes that the principles of clinical theology can be applied to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
SELECTED QUOTES
- “The basic assumption of clinical theology is that the whole man is to be cared for and helped to reach fullness of being.” (p. 14)
- “The task of Christian pastoral counseling is not to compete with psychology, but to complement it, to incorporate it and at the same time surpass it.” (p. 35)
- “Christian counseling should enable people to know themselves as they are known by God, and to see the world as God sees it.” (p. 49)
- “The healing of the human personality is a process of making whole. It is a process of finding and reclaiming lost elements of the self.” (p. 56)
- “The one indispensable qualification for Christian counseling is love. It is love that heals, and without love there can be no true healing.” (p. 63)
- “The Christian counselor is one who must know God intimately in his own experience, and be able to communicate his knowledge to others.” (p. 78)
- “The basic message of Christian counseling is the message of the Gospel, the message of God’s love and grace for the lost and the broken.” (p. 97)
- “The ultimate goal of pastoral care is not simply to alleviate symptoms, but to bring about a profound transformation in the person’s life.” (p. 97)
