Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition

Andrew Purves

Modern pastoral care, Andrew Purves believes, has been overly influenced by psychological theory and too often uninformed by historical practice. The result is a pastoral practice that has diminished the reality of God. In this book, Purves aims to reclaim pastoral theology as a theological discipline. He does this by examining classical texts from the tradition, texts that have enduring worth, and he argues that a thoughtful reading of these works -- by Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom, Gregory the Great, Martin Bucer, and Richard Baxter -- will force a reevaluation of many of the assumptions that shape contemporary pastoral work. He includes a brief biography of each author, introduces the major themes in each writer's pastoral theology, and discusses the issues relevant to pastoral work today. - Back cover.