Spirituality in diversity

Front matter

Ulrike Elsdörfer iN piveesily ;

South East Asia) . m meets r

Global View N

Chapter 1: Pastoral and/or Spiritual Care and

Counselling in South East Asia 15 Countries and regions 15 Conferences and institutions 16 Philippines 17 India 18 Japan 21 Chapter 2: Indonesia 25 History 25 Pancasila state 29 Pancasila religions 33 Ministry of Religious Affairs 34 Islam 35 Christianity 37 Buddhism 39 Hinduism 40 Indigenous religions 41

Coexistence of religions 42 vii

Contents

Chapter 3: Christian spirituality in Indonesia 45 The hidden beauty of (men and) women in vulnerable

conditions 45 Christian churches and their social functions 49 Christian and indigenous: Churches and Adat tradition 51 Franciscus van Lith, a Jesuit in Java 53 Reconciliation processes after violence 55

Chapter 4: Transformations in Asia’s spirituality and Spiritual Counselling 61 Spiritual counselling in Indonesia 68 Clinical Pastoral Education in the 1990s 69 Clinical Pastoral Education training for supervisors, completed in 2017 74 Indigenous counselling 81 Environmental counselling in Indonesia 82 Overcoming violence 84 The hidden history of violence 85 Promoting the cause of pluralism and democracy 87 Multi-religious encounter is crucial for Spiritual Counselling 89 The social impact of Sufi tradition 90 The conservative turn of Islam 93

Chapter 5: Recent developments of Spiritual Care in Japan 97 Narrative hermeneutical care: Christian and

Buddhist approach 98 General theory of Spiritual Counselling 101 Part Two

Chapter 6: Public Theology and public pastoral care in (South) Africa 105

Public Theology as a frame of reference for Spiritual Counselling: A ministry of presence and compassion 108 viii

Contents

Postcolonial theology Public Theology in Africa: Pros and cons

Chapter 7: Interreligious Asian Public Theology meets (South) African Public Theology God is rice - God is in the encounter - God is jn the future

Asian Spiritual Counselling meets (South) African Spiritual and/or Pastoral Counselling

God is in the limitation God is in compassion and compassion fatigue God is in-between

Chapter 8: Transformations of Spiritual Counselling in multiple modernities

Chapter 9: Towards a frame of diversity in spirituality and Spiritual Care and Counselling

Appendices

113 116

121 128

131 132 134 135

Appendix 1: Documents from mid-point and end-point evaluation during a Clinical Pastoral Education training

Mercy Anna Saragih

Appendix 2: Towards the International Congress on Pastoral Care and Counselling (11th ICPCC Congress in Malaysia 2019) Ulrike Elsdoérfer

Appendix 3: Challenges to ICPCC pastoral and spiritual policy: From the private consultation of the counselling room to the open and public space of marketplace encounters

Daniel J. Louw

Contents

Appendix 4: Resilience of faith communities on the Cape Flats (South Africa) - Lessons in congregational ministry and care 173

Llewellyn MacMaster

Index 203

Abbreviations Appearing in the Text and Notes

AACPE ANC APCPCC

US UTC YAKKUM

Asia Association for Clinical Pastoral Education African National Congress

Asian Pacific Conference on Pastoral Care and Counselling

Compassion Fatigue Clinical Pastoral Education

Indonesian Christian Association for Health Services

International Council on Pastoral Care and Counselling

Internal displaced persons Islamic State

Information Technology Ministry of Religious Affairs Majelis Ulama Indonesia Non-governmental Organisation National Party

Nahdatul Ulama

Professional Association of Spiritual Care and Health

Philosophical Dissertation Proudly Manenberg Campaign South African Police Services

Society for Intercultural Pastoral Care and Counselling

United Kingdom

United States

United Theological College

Christian Foundation for Public Health xi

Biographical Note

Ulrike Elsdorfer

Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Pastoralosychologie (DGfP) [German Association of Pastoral Psychology], Dortmund, Germany; Unit for Reformed Theology and the Development of the South African Society, Faculty of Theology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Email: interculture@email.gmx

Dr Ulrike Elsddérfer is the supervisor of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pastoralosychologie (DGfP) [German Association of Pastoral Psychology], as well as an Extraordinary Researcher at North- West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.

xiii

Acknowledgements

This revised second edition of the 2018 book entitled Spiritual Encounter in Diversity: Focussing Spiritual Counselling in Asia, self-published online, draws largely from the author’s PhD thesis, written in German and published by LIT Verlag:

e Elsdörfer, U., 2019, ‘Gott ist Reis: Psychologische Assistenz im multikulturellen und multireligidsen Indonesien und im sudostasiatischen Raum’, in Pastoral Care and Spiritual Healing - Spiritualität interkulturell Volume 7, LIT Verlag, Münster.

This book offers a more than 50% reworking and carries the necessary permissions from the publisher of the thesis for parts thereof to have been translated and published in this book.

E Appendices

The following documents used in the Appendices have been used in this book with the necessary permissions from the authors and/or publishers:

¢ Appendix 1: Saragih, M.A., n.d., ‘Documents from mid-point and end-point evaluation during a Clinical Pastoral Education training’, n.p. (unpublished paper received via email communication, on O5 May 2017)

¢ Appendix 2: Elsd6érfer, U., 2016, ‘Chances and Challenges of Solidarity: ICPCC from post-colonialism to global challenges’, in U. Elsdérfer & T.D. Ito (eds.), Compassion for one another in the Global Village, LIT Verlag, Berlin.

e Appendix 3: Louw, D., 2012, ‘Challenges to ICPCC pastoral and spiritual policy: from the private consultation of the counselling room

XV

Acknowledgements xvi to the open and public space of market place encounters’, in D. Louw, T.D. Ito & U. Elsdérfer (eds.), Encounter in Pastoral Care and Spiritual Healing, LIT Verlag, Berlin.

MacMaster, L., 2009b, ‘Resilience of faith communities on the Cape Flats (SA): A pastoral theological perspective’, Scriptura 101(2009), 288-300. https://doi.org/10.7833/101-0-640

Preface

As a Protestant theologian, pastoral psychologist and religious scientist, | am experienced in encounters with researchers and practitioners of pastoral psychology worldwide - mostly with Protestant counsellors and theologians and with universities and practical units in Asia, Africa and South America. Until now, it was comfortable for me to continue with my own traditions.

This study, in many respects, represents a transition to the Other. It provides the contents of my second Philosophical Dissertation (PhD) at the Philosophical-Theological University St. Georgen, Frankfurt, Main, Germany. The research was originally written in German. | have improved from the ecumenical learning and exchange, and | thank Prof. Dr Dr Dr h.c. Klaus KieBling, Frankfurt, Main and Prof. Dr Heribert Wahl, MUnchen for their friendly support.

During my previous work as a lecturer of Interreligious Dialogue of Christianity and Islam at the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Main, Germany, | have already cooperated with the Christlich-lslamische Begegnungs- und Dokumentationsstelle and the St. Georgen’s department on studies concerning the encounter of Christian theology with Islam. Indonesia is my country of focus in Asia. Majority of its citizens are Muslim, although the constitution of the country is based on interreligious diversity. Here, | include results from earlier research in the field.

My study is related to my practical work as a member of the board of the International Council on Pastoral Care and Counselling (ICPCC), a network of researchers and practitioners

How to cite: Elsdörfer, U., 2019, ‘Preface’, in Spirituality in diversity: South East Asia meets South Africa - Towards a global view of Spiritual Counselling, 2nd edn., pp. xvii-xviii, AOSIS, Cape Town. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2019.BK156.0p xvii

Preface of Spiritual Counselling. In the appendix, | give my preview to the llth Congress of ICPCC in Malacca, Malaysia, in 2019.

lam grateful to North-West University, South Africa, especially to the Unit for Reformational Theology and the Development of the SA Society and its director, Prof. Ferdi Kruger, Th.D., for the support of my publication in English. | thank Prof. Vhumani Magezi, PhD, who invited and encouraged me to work as an Extraordinary Researcher at North-West University, Potchefstroom. This exchange across continents provides an exciting challenge. | am looking forward to further impetus from the encounter with European and African psychological studies, spirituality and theology.

| thank my daughter, Claudia Elsdérfer, and my son, Matthias Elsdérfer, for re-reading my English text for this revised second edition of the 2018 self-published book, entitled Spiritual Encounter in Diversity: Focussing Spiritual Counselling in Asia (Elsdérfer 2018). Both have obtained a Magister Artium in linguistic sciences, having specialised in English and American studies.

xviii

Spiritual Counselling in a global perspective

Readers who may expect to get good advice about the use of psychology in transcultural and interreligious settings may be disappointed by this book. This study introduces the results or even the beginnings of an encounter of Christians and members of other religions from two continents and from two regions of the world when facing their approaches to counselling as spirituality. Having examined it, some of the scholars in the field of Spiritual Counselling obtain a global perspective on their discusseditem. Someremain sceptical regarding the psychological and cultural impacts on life in indigenous worlds. Patience and sensitivity and the leading goal of empowerment should exceed the wish to generalise. A global perspective on a sensitive subject requires a thoroughly proven and differentiated theory and practice. It is based on a manifold of intercultural encounters in global settings.

Here, | start with my reports and reflections about partial worlds.

How to cite: Elsdérfer, U., 2019, ‘Spiritual Counselling in a global perspective’, in Spirituality in diversity: South East Asia meets South Africa - Towards a global view of Spiritual Counselling, 2nd edn., pp. 1-12, AOSIS, Cape Town. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2019. BK156.00

The two regions of the globe, namely, South East Asia and (South) Africa, share common characteristics, especially those of manifold aspects of diversity within their societies.

The first part of this ecumenical study includes a discussion of the emergence and the development of Spiritual Counselling in different South East Asian countries. Spiritual Counselling in this context focusses on the work of different Christian churches in the multi-religious societies of the region. In this part of the world, Christians belong to minorities in their populations. The amount and importance of those minorities for their societies vary across countries.

My first step is to remember the beginning of my own studies. | start with a citation of a text written by my colleague Nalini Arles! from India. She especially highlights social aspects of South East Asian societies, introducing her personal approach, Regarding India’s rich spirituality: how can | define myself in it as a Dalit and as a woman??

The impetus of Arles’ lecture on ‘Spirituality and culture in the practice of pastoral care and counselling’ places the spotlight on the way of understanding spirituality in Asian countries. Here, spirituality represents more than an inner value. Furthermore, spirituality must be interpreted in its social context. In her lecture, Arles reflects on the basics of counselling and social projects conducted by Christians (and members of other religions as well) in India:

Regarding the context of rich religious traditions in India, | do not

know exactly, which form of spirituality | shall take into account.

Searching for my special access | have to admit: There are many religious traditions in India, and many are connected with a history of conquer. Conquering spirituality meets marginalizing spirituality.?

1. Nalini Arles was professor of Pastoral Psychology at the United Theological College in Bangalore, India.

The mutual relation between a conquering and a marginalising spirituality exists not only in India but in the whole of South East Asia as well. The organisations and their projects mentioned here in my ecumenical study imply practising Christians’ spirituality or various forms of existing cooperation of Christians with members of other religions.

Concerning crisis intervention or emergency aid, the work of various groups is presented. The groups belong to different religions; this is especially important with regard to the emerging education of volunteers (i.e. Christians and Buddhists in Japan) in crisis prevention and relief in instances of tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes and other catastrophes that affected the region.*

My study includes the years from 1980 up to 2017. The main reason for the said study period is the founding of the Asian Pacific Conference on Pastoral Care and Counselling (APCPCC) in 1980. At first, under a different name, this association invited its members for a meeting every second year, and later every fourth - the last meeting was held in September 2017 at Jakarta in Indonesia.

The first conference on Pastoral Care and Counselling in Asia was held in Manila in 1982. A history of informal meetings meant to introduce this method-based Spiritual Counselling, imported from the United States of America (USA) into South East Asia, dates back to the 1960s.

Outstanding impulses for a therapeutic Spiritual Counselling in Asian contexts result from a lecture with the title ‘Formation and transformation - discovery and recovery - of spirit and soulreligion in crisis and custom’ given by the pastoral psychologist Robert Charles Powell? in Hong Kong in 2005.

With the title of ‘Religion in crisis and custom’ (religion as a spiritual aid in culturally unstable times or religion as culturally preserving tradition), Powell refers to the title of one of the books

4. See Arles 1999.

by Anton T. Boisen,® first published in 1923. In the USA, Boisen is regarded as the most important founder of the established Christian and interreligious movements of Pastoral Care and Counselling, which later spread worldwide. Care and counselling and social work as aresult of a vivid spirituality cannot be reduced to the sources of the American Pastoral Care and Counselling movement, as this would mean excluding many other important Christian spiritual traditions, for example, concepts of Catholic orders. There is no reason to question different forms of spirituality in this study. Psychology-based Care and Counselling found its way into the Catholic Church and to different Protestant churches and their practice in Asia. Care and counselling concepts are used in Japan by Christians and Buddhists, and in Indonesia and Malaysia by Christians and Muslims.

When discussing Spiritual Counselling, | refer to the practice and education in Pastoral Care and Counselling in worldwide Christianity. | concentrate on this aspect, although the interreligious perspective will be included from time to time. There exist some connections to interreligious efforts and goals in the field.

Christian practice is based on different theological sources. Pastoral Care and Counselling belongs to the social practice representing the Christian religion in different regions. One aspect that is predominant in all regions is that the members of the Christian churches in almost all of the here mentioned countries belong to a religious, sometimes political and ethnic minority. This fact unites all the different churches. And, it made me curious to understand how they deal with this minority status in their unique situations.

Psychosocial projects in Asia are often implemented in special emergency situations with meagre financial resources.

6. Anton T. Boisen first published his book in 1923 in the USA. With this publication and The Exploration of the Inner World in 1936, he provoked a discussion on the relation of psychotherapy and religion(s). With the CPE method, the foundation was laid for the American Pastoral Care and Counselling movement. It spread from the USA to other countries like India, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines - as far as it concerns Asia. Clinical Pastoral Education differentiated according to local standards.

Cultural differences between the countries, ethnic diversity and religious traditions have to be thoroughly probed, with great awareness of the individual cases. The cultural and religious diversity should be considered when developing a concept of Spiritual Counselling in the social work of the churches. Indigenous aspects of ethnic groups, subjects of environment and regional concepts of Practical Theology have to be considered, studying the different situations of the societies. Spiritual Counselling in Asia represents a form of Christian engagement in public life, referring to the theories of Public Theology. This is my personal conviction, which I will unfold in this study.

When the psychological approach to clients by professional counsellors in the churches of Indonesia is mentioned, | prefer to use the term Spiritual Counselling. Indonesian theologians deem this to be the appropriate term when referring to the diversity of religious practice in their country. | do not refer to Christian Counselling, as this is currently the term used by evangelical and Pentecostal Christians in Indonesia. | mainly cooperate with colleagues who have had a theological education from Indonesian theological universities or from universities in extended regions of Asia. Some colleagues have studied in Europe, Australia or the USA. They know and share the global standards of scientific discussions in theology and in the related sciences. Besides that, they have a profound knowledge of their own churches and a distinct view of their own society.

As a preliminary text, | present a publication from the South East Asian context. Importantly, in this text, Spiritual Care is not reduced to an individual view. On the contrary, it aims at an interrelational exchange, which leads away from a solitary encounter between two persons, mostly a professional and a layperson, a counsellor or a client.

Joseph George,’ pastoral psychologist at the United Theological College (UTC) of South India, Bangalore, underlines the importance

7. George (2010), in a lecture from the 18th International Seminar of SIPCC. Dr Joseph George was the then-president of the Indian Association of Pastoral Counsellors.

of contextual realities, especially in his region. In his view, many of the current societies include multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multilinguistic, multi-cultural identities. The challenge resulting from that fact exceeds the fundamental problem once raised by Boisen and others in the USA. George cites manifold aspects, describing the contextual realities for persons in modern, mainly urban South East Asian regions. The long historical traditions - defined by family structures, kinship relations, regional communities or religious structures - remind of the existence of structures that could nourish the individuals emotionally, that could protect them and give them therapeutic aid. This kinship-based emotional support was mostly practised alongside ethnic relations and religions. But in recent times, those powers in society that aim for individualism, for mobility and for effectiveness leave many people behind both emotionally and intellectually. Such a development leads to the erosion of the old structures and to misorientation in daily life - up to violence. Globalisation implies an encounter of cultures under the conditions of worldwide economic change, and it is in manifold aspects a very complex process.

The exclusion of people with few chances of personal and social development, and the opportunities that these provide, leads to negative feelings. By this, emotional refugees will be created, according to George.

In addition, South East Asia has disturbing experiences of environmental catastrophes. Natural and commercial reasons give rise to catastrophes that erode and destroy the global community - these events result in insecurities in dealing with suffering, with disorientation and with losses. And one of the fundamental emotions expressed in the modern world is - according to the analysis of various comments used by George - helplessness. This fact is not only important with regard to indigenous worlds but also in the Western world since 2001. Terrorism has emerged worldwide. However, India was acquainted with terror attacks long before 2001. As George indicated, religious fanaticism, violence and terrorism have already ravaged his country for several decades, and their influence still persists.

With these facts, the colonial paradigm used by Arles is extended to the intercultural and postcolonial paradigm, thereby implying aspects of race and gender, caste, class, and raising questions concerning poverty and social justice, overcoming structural, open or potential violence. Spiritual Counselling and Spiritual Care lie between individual approaches to suffering people and to the awareness of the social conditions that tend to form and deform them. Transformation is necessary. This is explained using the term ‘Strategic Analytical Pastoral Therapy’. Together with analytical potential and social strategies, therapy is leading the individual or group to broader capabilities. It strengthens the awareness of contexts and the ability to grow from a therapeutical community to a community of care.?

| had the chance to visit Jakarta, Indonesia in September 2017. During a second study term (2011-2014), | studied ethnology at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Main, with the focus on parts of Africa and Indonesia. Here, | rely on my knowledge to give a broader description of Indonesia as a political and cultural entity. | discuss different approaches to Spiritual Counselling in Africa and Indonesia. Information about a general theory of Spiritual Counselling, which is rooted in a Japanese researcher’s scientific approach, completes my survey.

My studies of the field led me to the conclusion that a general theory of Spiritual Counselling should be replaced by a general view on Spiritual Counselling, as it is practised globally, but with regional standards and ethnic and culturally different backgrounds. These should be considered and appreciated in any case.

Shmuel Eisenstadt’s concept of multiple modernities’® provides the background. It is important to acknowledge crucial differences of culture and regional developments, not only for individuals but also for broader societies. Only this can offer a glimpse of

8. The method behind the title is only roughly defined by George. 9. This text comprises the most important ideas of Joseph George’s article.

10. Eisenstadt (2007).

justice when dealing with the often unjust economic effects of globalisation.

The second part of the study focusses on Spiritual Counselling as part of Public Theology, mainly in Africa. Here, Christianity is predominant among the local religions, and it is culturally influential. Spiritual Counselling as a part of the churches’ engagement in societies implies challenges being quite different from those within the multi-religious Asian societies.

South Africa already had a reflected practice of Pastoral Care and Counselling before and after the millennium. The growing opposition against apartheid implied the development of a vivid scene of counselling activities within the churches. There is a demand for a special sensitivity when counselling persons who are affected by HIV." Besides the practical and individual assistance, counsellors regard their work as a contribution to the resistance against the stigmatisation of HIV-positive persons. The second objective pastoral psychologists try to promote is the development of social justice in South Africa. A still existing marginalisation of poor and people of mixed race prevails in the political arena. This injustice has not been abolished appropriately.

The counselling movement is included in the theological reflections on Public Theology. The concept behind Public Theology is to analyse aspects of society which create injustice and life-threatening conditions, and to confront them with theological impulses for a better future for God’s creation. The churches’ theological and practical work is dedicated to being of relevance to the development of society. The former so-called privatisation of faith should be overcome by aiming for an understanding of the wholeness of body, soul and social existence of a person. Action for safety and health - mentally, physically, spiritually - should prevail in private life. Nobody can preserve their physical and psychological well-being and economic survival for only private and individual reasons. Family and the wider

11. Vhumani Magezi, professor at North-West University, South Africa - several publications.

community are of singular importance, especially in the African context. After the fall of apartheid, the demand for justice in public spheres has increased and has to be met publicly - by churches and the state: Spiritual Counselling has exceeded the setting of an encounter between two persons - counsellor and client. In many cases counselling, as practiced in South Africa, cannot be transferred to European standards. Vice versa the counselling practice being used in Europe or in the USA cannot be easily transferred to South Africa or South East Asia as well. Counselling - as Pastoral Care - has to be of assistance for public spheres - where people meet. It has to meet a broader awareness within the society. It has to lead to a better and more healthy life - in many aspects of peoples’ existence. Care and Counselling has to perform at the Market Place, not only in the pastor’s or counsellor’s office.”

The challenge in the pastoral approach to well-being is a holistic approach with an emphasis on an integrative perspective wherein the human body, a vital part and ingredient of spirituality (embodied spirituality), and care are involved in the whole of human life; as such, the networking relationships should be healed.

Therapy is a spiritual practice - not just a fixing of human problems - a facilitation of movement towards what is characterised as shalom in the Judaeo-Christian tradition; a shalom that is both internal and environmental.

The emphasis in Pastoral Care and Counselling lies in the so-called spiritual therapy. The quest for meaning and significance gains importance and the question arises, how does God fit into the picture of human suffering and the quest for human dignity and justice?”

Approaches to counselling within the concept of ‘wholeness in hope care are discussed. They were developed in

14. Title of a publication by Daniel Louw, emeritus professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

South African society, which is and was predominantly shaped by Christianity - noticing that parts of an indigenous world view are included in the concept of wholeness. In the following chapters, | will contrast this South African approach of counselling practice with the situation and the challenges of counselling in multi-cultural and multi-religious contexts in South East Asia.

Dealing with cultural diversity has many layers. One is presented by the worldwide experienced pastoral psychologist Emmanuel Y. Lartey.'® In his publications,'® he insists on the idea that Spiritual Counselling is deeply rooted in regional and cultural spiritual knowledge. Without accepting and appreciating these cultural roots, a counsellor cannot express his and/or her deeper concerns for indigenous people. Within the context of multicultural and multi-religious societies, indigenous counselling is an adequate form of approach. Inclusion of indigenous cultural roots in life and faith is of outstanding importance for the individual and for the community, not only for counselling but also for liturgies, for social work in the parish and for theological reflections in the realm of syncretism. Such a spiritual approach has long been practised by the Catholic Church in Indonesia, implying the indigenous Adat culture” in Flores.

The concluding reflections aim to unfold an inner dialogue between most different worlds within the movement of Spiritual Counselling. It is my vision that this study will build bridges - from and to Asia, from and to Africa, from and to Europe - witha suitable respect for the Other in order to promote the work, leading to a profound encounter; the European style of theology and counselling to meet Asian and African counselling and theology.

15. Emmanuel Y. Lartey was born in Ghana, where he became a pastor. He then worked as a theological lecturer in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK), and is currently a professor of pastoral psychology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

17. Adat is the basic culture of the Indonesian archipelago, rooted in Java, but spread out on all other islands.

The reflections of the Indian Catholic theologian Felix Wilfred’ and the Belgian Catholic theologian Jacques Dupuis,'? on intercultural and interreligious Public Theology in Asia, led to broader concepts in this respect. Regarding the theory and practice of Spiritual Counselling, this means that the interest in identifying the special regional access and the basic regional needs of indigenous people faces a challenge to open and widen its perspectives into a global view. This especially leads, in one case, to a theory of general layers of Spiritual Counselling in Asia.

South African counsellors doubt whether it is possible to have a general view on individuals who once have been victims of violence and war. Their proposal is to approach clients in such highly stressed situations and to acknowledge the individuals’ suffering and pain. And this should be done in a manner of compassion and presence (this is a concept which speaks about a habitus [manner] of compassion and presence when approaching people in a therapeutical way).

But the energy and resilience capacities of counsellors are not endless. By indicating the risks of compassion fatigue for the counsellor (or second trauma in trauma therapy), pastoral psychologists from South Africa underline the necessity of caring for the caregiver, which is more than just supervising. It tends to become a demand for a caring theology for both counsellor and client.

A theological approach to Spiritual Counselling in precarious, violence-affected contexts, with poor healthcare systems and with poor access to education, has to take into consideration the challenges of daily life in these environments. It has to meet the requirements of the people. It has to take into consideration the requirements of the professionals in Care and Counselling.

Collectively, it has to explain a theology of shared daily life for the marketplace. God is in the encounter. God is in-between. God is in the future. The future has to be developed. Spiritual Counselling, when following these aims, is part of the wider concept and broader impulse of Public Theology. This is my special thesis, to be confirmed in this study.