This thesis, on the basis of the recognition that Howard J. Clinebell’s growth counseling can be applied to pastoral counseling for holistic salvation, will set a suitable program for growth group and verify its effectiveness. In brief, the thesis...
This thesis, on the basis of the recognition that Howard J. Clinebell’s growth counseling can be applied to pastoral counseling for holistic salvation, will set a suitable program for growth group and verify its effectiveness. In brief, the thesis includes seven chapters and an appendix. The first chapter, as an introduction, will discuss the necessity and purpose of study, the contents and scope of study, the methods and the constraints of study. The chapter will also deliver the history of study on growth counseling. Chapter II will comprise the study on the biblical and theological point of view, and the point of view on the side of pastoral counseling, and the relationship between growth and holistic salvation so as to understand the concept of growth counseling. Chapter III will comprise the principal concepts of growth counseling, and handle them in the perspective of the harmony of healing and growth, the integration of contemporary psychotherapies and the tradition of Hebrew-Christian heritage, and love-hope centered view. Clinebell reinterpreted contemporary psychotherapies from the growth-oriented view, and provided a basis of the abundant life by developing the potentialities hiding inside. Hebrew-Christian heritage can improve the effectiveness of counseling by using Bible, prayer and pastoral functions. Consolidation of contemporary psychotherapies and Hebew-Christian heritage can be an approach to a holistic salvation that can be accomplished by attracting healing and growth, and spiritual growth. Chapter IV will, in order to apply growth counseling to pastoral counseling aiming at holistic salvation, discuss about God who is the subject of salvation, the person who is an object of salvation, and the six dimensions of growth which are the definite evidences of salvation. Chapter V will present the concept of holistic-salvation-oriented growth; based on the principal concept of growth counseling mentioned in the chapter III and on the base of the concept drawn in the chapter IV. Chapter VI will present an pastoral counseling program for holistic salvation based on the previous discussion, and analyze the cases and effectiveness of the applied programs. The last, chapter VII, concludes the thesis by delivering the abstract, definition and proposal.
In the thesis, growth means spiritual and moral growth of Christians in the process of regeneration (justification) - sanctification - glorification; symmetrically compared with the context of the process of creation - fall - redemption. Growth can be understood in the context of holistic salvation that comprehends all processes and ranges which occur in the dynamic relationships between God and humans. The author established the theoretical basis of the program based on strength of growth counseling and supplementary means for holistic salvation, and set a program for growth group. An experimental group counseling, applying the program, was conducted to a (test) group composed of twelve students attending theological seminary who believed in holistic salvation stage.
The program was set on the basis of the following research presuppositions.
Research presupposition 1: Pastoral counseling will affect identity formulation when growth counseling is applied.
Research presupposition 1-1: Pastoral counseling will affect a sense of trust when growth counseling is applied.
Research presupposition 1-2: Pastoral counseling will affect a sense of identity when growth counseling is applied.
Research presupposition 2: Pastoral counseling will affect spiritual growth when growth counseling is applied.
To observe the effectiveness of the group counseling, the author used a statistical program called SAS(Statistical Analysis System), version 9.1, for analyzing results. Statistical analysis proves that the growth counseling promotes holistic salvation. Moreover, the program applied to the study can be practically used as a tool for holistic salvation. Especially, the result of the statistical analysis shows the level of spiritual maturity rather than a sense of trust or identity. Base on the result, the author propose that Holistic Salvation is required to be the very orientation for pastoral caring conducted in all church communities. In addition, it proves the necessity of pastoral counseling not only for psychological maturity, but also for spiritual maturity. It also proves the present situation that there is an urgent and immediate needs for training more pastoral counseling experts.