Book Reviews

Pastoral Psychology -     

Tribute to Don S. Browning (1934–2010)

This tribute adapts words originally written to honor Don S. Browning, one of the foremost pastoral and practical theologians and ethicists of his time, on the occasion of his death on June 3, 2010. The tribute appeared in the funeral worship bulletin on June 10, 2010 at Hyde Park Union Church in Chicago and was revised for a newsletter of a major educational institution with which he had many significant relationships and responsibilities (The Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago Bulletin 80, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 2010); used with permission). Although we embellished the tribute slightly, we did not change its main intent: It captures the remarkable depth and breath of Browning’s scholarly achievement, the mark he made on public and academic discussion, and the extent to which he is missed by his colleagues, friends, and family.     

Wisdom in Pastoral Care and Counseling: What Does it Entail?

The purpose of this article is to suggest richer potential meanings of spiritual wisdom and theological reflection in response to a critical reading of Pamela Cooper-White's book, Shared wisdom: Use of the self in pastoral care and counseling.     

The Royal Road: Children, Play, and the Religious Life

This article explores the role of play in human development and religious faith. It begins with problems in children’s play in contemporary society, as seen through history and sociology, and then analyzes the contributions of two psychologists, Erik H. Erikson and D. W. Winnicott, and recent thought on play in theology, childhood studies, and the scholarship of Donald Capps in particular. It argues that play has a potentially fruitful role in development and the life of faith for children and adults but modern constructions of play have obscured its place in adulthood and overlooked its uneven distribution among children in different classes and races.