Spiritual Direction and the Care of Souls

In recent years, many Christian clergy, laity, and mental health professionals have rediscovered the ancient practices of spiritual direction. Seen as a refreshing alternative to the techniques and limitations of modern psychology, such practices offer new insights for pastoral care. But many remain unclear on what spiritual direction is and whether its methods are applicable to their own clients and parishioners. Spiritual direction is a practice of Christian soul care that is found most notably in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Episcopal traditions but is also present in Wesleyan/Holiness, Pentecostal/charismatic, social justice, and Reformed communities. Predating modern counseling and psychotherapy movements but sharing key principles and insights for spiritual formation, spiritual direction offers significant resources for today's pastors, counselors, therapists, chaplains, and other caregivers attuned to the work of God in people's lives. In this landmark volume,