In Living Color: An Intercultural Approach to Pastoral Care and Counseling (Practical Theology) Paperback – January 1, 2003
by Emmanuel Y. Lartey (Author), James Newton Poling (Foreword)
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The meaning of pastoral care in modern multicultural societies is challenged and reexamined from a global perspective in this book. Emmanuel Lartey stresses the importance of recognizing different cultural influences on individuals in order to effectively counsel, guide and empower them. This new edition has been updated to reflect recent congregational studies and provides illustrations of how an intercultural approach can work in practice.
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192 pages
Editorial Reviews
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Reviews of the first edition:
'...a wonderful balance of the major themes, as well as the developing trends, within pastoral theology.'
-- Lee H. Butler, Chicago Theological Seminary
... moves beyond established paradigms of pastoral care as something which is done by ordained, white, middle-class males, and seeks to radically challenge contemporary understandings of what pastoral care is and who should be doing it. -- Contact: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Pastoral Care
His work provides a cognitive framework for engaging persons from a variety of backgrounds in creating community. My students found his book readable, challenging and engaging. -- Alice McNair, Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury
A lucid and succinct overview of pastoral foundations is applied to the intercultural realities of social life with clarity and penetrating insight. The ideal text for teaching pastoral care to health sciences students. -- Bruce Rumbold, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
Dr Lartey's book is an important one in that it approaches pastoral care from a global perspective. In contemporary society and ministry, pastoral care providers need to be prepared for the pluralism and multiculturalism found in communities and congregations. Dr Lartey's work provides a framework for understanding the pastoral role and caring function from that vantage point. There are few resources that provide the intercultural perspective. -- Teresa Snorton, Executive Director, Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Decatur
Review of 2nd Edition
'This second and updated edition of Emmnuel Lartey's influential book will be welcomed by pastoral care providers, teachers, and students alike. Lartey further develops his intercultural approach to pastoral care out-lined in the first edition and also considers the impact of post-modernism and post-colonialism on the complex, pluralistic global context in which pastoral care is provided. In doing so, his creative challenge to prevalent Western "norms" about who provides pastoral care and how is further enhanced.'
-- Studies in World Christianity: The Edinburgh Review of Theology and Religion
An interesting broad overview of pastoral care. At a time when we are seeing great interest in the development of spiritual care in the healthcare setting this book challenges us to be aware of the diversity of tradition and development throughout the world and to reflect on our own pracice as we work in a pluralist setting. -- Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy
It is not only an excellent exposition of the current state of pastoral care and counseling and of the relationship of the one to the other but it also offers a global perspective and, in itself, is an intercultural text of some significance. This book is a minefield of information and, like a minefield it will take courage for some to step into it. If you can cope with the challenges that it poses the effort is wellworth it and will bring rewards that may even result in a significant development of understanding as well as a change in behaviour. -- HCPJ
In this second edition of In Living Color Emmanuel Lartey offers a critical introduction to the practice and study of pastoral care and counseling in a pluristic, postcolonial and postmodern world context. Writing from a global perspective, he is aware that in contemporary society and ministry offering pastoral care of any kind needs to take account of the multi-culturalism found in communities and in congregations. Consequently the discussion and examples throughout the book are informed at every point by experiences, thoughts and perspectives from different cultures and with particular emphasis, reflecting his own knowledge and experience, on continental Africa, diasporan-African, British and American societies. It is an eminently readable book in which there is a masterly balance of the major themes. These include a comprehensive yet succinct overview of history of pastoral care, an exploration of the functions and resources of pastoral care, and a discussion concerning counselling as pastoral care. Lartey's new perspectives on pastoral care are compelling and challenging and need to be taken seriously. -- Epworth Review (Methodist Publishing House)
Book Description
An indispensable introduction to the field of pastoral care in multicultural environments
About the Author
Emmanuel Lartey is President of the International Council on Pastoral Care and Counseling and Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care at Columbia Theological Seminary, Georgia, USA. He was formerly Senior Lecturer at Birmingham University, UK and has taught at Trinity Theological Seminary in his home country of Ghana.
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happy mama
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2017
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David GIBBS
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2016
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This book came highly recommended by a college lecturer. Now having read it I endorse her commends. Largely gives a good overview of history of pastoral care and practices. He encourages, reminds and challenges the reader but also holds out hope for the future.
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Bob Mathews
5.0 out of 5 stars A really interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2013
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Demonstrates the importance of culture in pstoral care, and the need to review one's beliefs in the light of other cultures
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David
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2015
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All good, thanks.
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Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Care Worker
Reviewed in Australia on May 10, 2017
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A great resource for any spiritual care worker. I highly recommend this book for it simple explanations for a complex issue.
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS
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Average rating3.81 · Rating details · 93 ratings · 12 reviews
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Jade
Aug 04, 2021Jade rated it liked it
The chapter attempting to delineate the difference between therapy and pastoral counseling is reductionist and unfortunately will give pastors or chaplains the impression that they can and should be doing therapy. However, I love any book that’s talks through the lens of liberation theology.
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Holyn
Feb 07, 2021Holyn rated it liked it
3.5 stars - reading primary sources of liberation, womanist, queer theology would expand and round out Lartey’s work.
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Rose Schrott
Dec 10, 2020Rose Schrott rated it really liked it
Useful applications and case studies and definition of pastoral care.
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Clarence Cunny
Apr 06, 2022Clarence Cunny rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I read this book as part of my coursework and found it to be quite informative. It made me aware of historical models of Pastoral care (Pope Gregory) to more modern models (Lartey).
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Blake Strother
Feb 02, 2016Blake Strother rated it liked it
This book is certainly a tool. However, it is a tool that won't be useful to everyone. For the minister/chaplain/layperson who is really trying to launch themselves into the 21st century this is a book for you and will likely come off as groundbreaking as it was intended to be. For those readers it is wonderful summary of the shift that is occurring at liberation theologies, postmodern theologies, and intercultural approaches to ministries become more prevalent. These summaries are both valuable and show that Lartey has his pulse on some of the most important authors who write about these topics extensively. While the summaries i.e. chapters are filled with valuable content, it is not presented in a particularly intriguing way. That is why for those who may have went to a seminary and already studied some of the content in the book in a more detailed manner or are younger ministers/chaplains who literally grew up in this postmodern area the book appears to be lacking. If you've read titles by Paulo Freire, bell hooks, James Cone, Gustavo Gutierrez, Elizabeth Johnson, John Caputo, or any other liberation/postmodern theological voices, than I would say skip this book. Unlike some other overview books I've read I would say if you are really invested in these approaches to ministry and theology than you will be better entertained (as well as obviously informed) if you dig into some of the primary texts that this book references. This book has an audience for sure but the person who has done work in the areas the book has covered or anticipates wanting to dig deeper into those areas than I would say SKIP. That doesn't mean I don't think this book needs to find its way into those pastoral caregivers who have been resistance and in many occasions totally ignorant to change. So I digress this book isn't mind-blowing but it has its purpose and can serve the purpose adequately. (less)
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Rev. Linda
Dec 20, 2015Rev. Linda rated it it was amazing
Shelves: pastoral-care, pastoral-counseling, pastoral-theology, multiculturalism-christianity
From Back Cover: The meaning of pastoral care in modern multicultural societies is challenged and re-examined from a pluralistic, global perspective in this book. Emmanuel Lartey stresses the importance of recognizing different cultural influences on individuals in order to effectively counsel, guide and empower them. He provides a clear and concise history of pastoral care and considers its relationship to different models of counseling and spirituality.
This new edition has been updated to reflect postmodern and postcolonial studies and provides illustrations of how an intercultural approach can work in practice. Theological teachers and students will welcome its return as an indispensable introduction to the field of pastoral care. In Living Color is an essential source of inspiration to leaders from any religious stream who wish to provide pastoral care in a way that reflects their community's cultural diversity. This book is also a useful resource for practitioners in a wider range of caring contexts who work in multicultural environments. - Read for Spring 2016 course at Brite (Ministry of Pastoral Care) (less)
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Corey
Apr 02, 2013Corey rated it liked it
Although I have to give this author credit for his unique approach to this topic, the book is TOO organized, delineated far beyond the point of helpfulness. This is one of those books that has a point within a point with 3 subpoints and 4 explanations beneath each subpoint, etc. The author possesses the knowledge to offer good content, but it gets lost in his excessive organization of his material.
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Robert Munson
Mar 29, 2015Robert Munson rated it it was amazing
Shelves: pastoral-care
I like to use this book for pastoral care and Clinical Pastoral Education. It draws from Hiltner, Clebsch and Jaekle, Clinebell, and Lester. But Lartey also draws on cultural themes. Working in Asia, I find this especially useful. It is introductory and useful in a Bible school or seminary setting.
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TJ
May 31, 2010TJ added it
Not what I was looking for. Not helpful
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Sarah Boyette
May 25, 2015Sarah Boyette rated it did not like it
This book provides many important points, but it is a real snoozefest. I wish Lartey wrote with a little more zest. The topics are interesting, but his language is to academic to make it accessible.
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Vonnie James
Nov 27, 2013Vonnie James rated it really liked it
Marvelous. I still use this book as a text for a course in Principles and Techniques of Pastoral Counselling.
