Book Review on Care for Souls by David Benner free essay sample

Reflection Paper Care of Souls: Revisioning Christian Nurture and Counsel by Swanie Khoo In the work of professional psychology, we have now a forray of theories, therapeutic techniques, and modern psychotherapies which has all too frequently ignore the spiritual element in human life. In Care of Souls, Dr David Benner recaptures the place of the spiritual in psychological work. Among the many benefits of the use of modern therapies and medical science, he has also emphasised putting Gods priorities above ones own in the practice of Christian soul care. Care of Souls provides an account of Christianitys historical practices of soul care through a culmination of his many years of scholarship, teaching and clinical work. However, I found its dense prose difficult to comprehend and some times confusing and it was also difficult to capture his train of thought. I have to say it was not an easy book to read. Benners starts the book helping me understand soul care. He asks â€Å"What is soul care? † He claims soul care as â€Å"the support and restoration of the well-being of persons in their depth and totality, with particular concern for their inner life. Benner posits that care of souls came from a latin word, cura animarum, where this word embraces both care and cure of the soul. Many times in the text, he interchanges the words care and cure of soul. However, both care and cure have both very different implications and it made me uncomfortable to claim that the Cure of the Soul is part of the work of a psychotherapist. Psychotherapists treat the soul by easing suffering, helping people in emotional pain to reclaim meaning and purpose and encouraging people to see themselves, others and the world more accurately. I believe that psychotherapists care for the soul. The cure of the soul is Gods work; it is the result of Gods redemptive work in one to completely heal and repair ones damaged soul. I agree with Benner that clinical tools and integrated therapies aid healing and nurture of the soul, but to completely cure the soul of deep-seated emotional wounds and freedom from compulsive disorders, are beyond the work of a psychotherapist or the use of theory or methods and mainstream psychotherapies and its interventions. The cure of a damaged soul will not be complete without the involvement God and the work of His grace. I feel strongly about this because I was once that damaged soul, damaged by the world around me. It was only God who saw me in my devastation, and only He could deliver, heal and do His deep repair to make me who I am today. I found the seven characteristics of Christian soul care helpful to measure my own qualifications. He poses that there is no higher calling than that associated to care of souls. This is such a strong reminder for me as I thread into the world and work of soul care. Although I have worked in the corporate world, dealing with people and development of individuals but the work of soul care, is truly a vocation called by God, because in this work, I need to put on the personhood of Jesus, and to care for individuals, I need to see them through the eyes of God, without any prejudices, or judgement. I recognise and agree with Benner, that I have to be spiritually mature, strong in the Word of God, and have a developed habit of prayer. Having said that, it reminds me again, that this is beyond the theories and therapeutic practices that I am learning. I am not called to care for souls because I am good in the therapeutic techniques, but its about having a heart that cares, and empathises, and trusts in God for these people that God cares, and whom He endows into my care (my version). Benner quotes Thomas Olden, â€Å"Neither analytical skill not theoretical knowledge can have positive effect if there is no genuine and compassionate care for others. It is only the companionship of grace, drawing on resources beyond ones own that wisdom will be found for this task. Many times, in my conversations with God, I keep telling him, that I am not qualified for this work that He calls me to, I dont have what it takes. But as I make meaning of the story that my life encapsulates – I was a damaged soul, damaged by abuse by my own father. I cant even say I have a father, because I grew up without knowing what fathers love felt like. My earthly father had a gambling problem and had multiple affairs outside of marriage. The pains of my c hildhood robbed me of my identity, confidence, security, trust in men, joy of living and believe in myself. I struggled greatly even as I grew into adulthood, but, God has healed me, and He is still healing and redeeming me from the wounds of my past. Through many challenges in life, as I grew into adulthood, I find myself asking Him, â€Å"God, why, oh God, why do you give me such an emotionally challenging childhood? † Though I did not receive a clear answer all these years but he taught me one thing, and that is to live my life with open hands, to allow God, the Author to do what He so choose to do. It is He, God, the Master of my life, and as for me, to live a life surrendered to my Master. Only then, did I realise that thats how I am able to taste his endless richness of His grace. God has redeemed me and has blessed me so much. Today, I can say that I am blessed and I give thanks to God. Now that I am here, in SBC, studying this work of Benner, it is totally sobering to be called into the work of soul care. Having taken the journey that I have, this reckoning gives me true meaning of what I have experienced in my past; it is that I may understand the broken and damaged souls that God brings into my paths. Benner presented us with the demands and the challenges of soul care, and as I ponder over them, I recognise the weight of the responsibility of one being in soul care, and especially in Christian Counseling. He provides us with practical advice for all of us in soul care to meet these demands and challenges in the vocation. I summarise them as follows, in my own version : Being Authentic – truthful, and avoid professionalism Benner emphasises many times about about being authentic and the giving of our selves to the vocation, this he calls a demand and also a challenge of soul care. One of the ways in which he encourages us to do so is that we have a deeply personal engagement which can be founded in true dialogue. And true dialogue can only occur in a relationship between equals, according to Buber. This, in my lack of experience, I find rather unrealistic for the caregiver and receiver to be mutually caring for each other although I agree with him about being real, and having a deep engagement with a counselee, I am still wondering how does mutual care work in a counseling relationship between a counselor and counselee? Though, most importantly, I agree with Benner about guarding ourselves against having a â€Å"professional† attitude. Benner calls it the emphasis of doing over being. We also run the isk of our relying on technical competence over giving of ourselves. Quoting from Benner, â€Å"The challenge is also to resist the temptation to reduce soul care to the skillful application of techniques. When techniques are understood as disciplined ways of offering ones self, they greatly enhance the care that is provided. But when they become ways in which the soul guide avoids engage ment as a genuine self, their effect is to depersonalise the engagement. † Countinuously growing in Christ toward developing an integrated inner core – devoted to God in prayer, meditation, and solitude. To continue to grow in Christ is totally mandatory in this vocation. It is quite impossible to be a representative of God in this ministry without a daily walk with God. Our eyes are tainted with prejudice, and judgement, if we do not see the one that we are caring for through the eyes of God, and the compassion to love them with the heart of God. Its totally impossible to be a Christian Counselor without putting on Jesus. Use the transforming power of story – tell your story I believe that each of us called into soul care, have a testimony to tell about Gods healing power and grace. I remembered when I shared the testimony of my life at the Womens Conference for the very first time, I felt I was released from the bondage of my past. I not only felt like a prisoner set free, but I was surprised by the way God used my story, to open up the hearts of the women in the audience to share and bare their lives for Gods healing to take place. Totally amazing! Although, I still feel fearful about disclosing my life, and its a constant reminder that when I share about Gods goodness in life, I am giving God glory, and its not about me. I agree that these are a big challenges and demands of one who is in the work of soul care, and I pondered over it for a long time. Realistically, to be of service to others in this vocation will be tiring, and frustrating. We easily grow weary, and may start depending on our own strength and skills, especially, the moment, we think of serving people, we begin to have a notion that other people owe us something for our pain. We begin to bargain for reward or to angle for applause. This all happens when we make ourselves the centre of things.