Present status and future prospects in pastoral theology

The article cites three factors which help to understand where the field of Pastoral Theology currently finds itself. It describes five trends which include possibilities and pitfalls for the field: evangelicalism and pietism, expansion of the guilds, a broader definition of pastoral care, the moral dimensions of pastoral care, and family relations emphasis. The article concludes with suggestions for realization of the possibilities and avoidance of the pitfalls.