Pastoring the Whole Person by Erin I. Smith

In Pastoring the Whole Person: Psychology for Ministry Practice, professor and research psychologist Erin Smith draws on two decades of work to equip church leaders with tools from human psychology so they can better understand and serve people with the gospel for the whole person. Smith begins with a case for the value of psychological science for Christians, rooted in a theological understanding of human embodiment and creaturely limits. Building on this, she unfolds a series of chapters covering topics including:

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Neuroscience and learning

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Habits and virtue formation

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Relationality and attachment

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Emotions and memory

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Personality types

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Narratives of individuals and communities

Pastoring the Whole Person is an essential resource for ministry leaders who want to be better equipped to understand the people in their pews. With clarity, candor, and care for the church, Smith cuts through the noise of a cultural moment crowded with conflicting narratives about the nature and value of psychological science.