Pastoral care

Pastoral care refers to a form of support that addresses the emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical needs of the person receiving help. Historically, it has been provided by a trained member of religious clergy (sometimes even laypeople or spiritual care providers) and is based on biblical teachings and principles. However, non-clergy people are often trained to provide this form of assistance with the backing of a religious organization. In some cases, pastoral care can also refer to assistance provided through hospital or school counselors when this treatment embraces the idea that pastoral care should address more than just the person's psychological needs.

Background

The word pastoral comes from the Latin pastor, meaning "shepherd," and pastoralis, meaning "pertaining to a shepherd." The common idea of pastoral care is derived from the Christian image of Jesus Christ as a shepherd tending to a flock of followers. Just as sheep are dependent on the shepherd to help them deal with any difficulties or dangers they encounter, Christian theology holds that Christ's followers should turn to him as their main source of help. Christian priests, ministers, and other clergy members are expected to care for Christ's followers as Christ would; therefore, pastoral care came to mean providing for the spiritual, emotional, and, when necessary, physical support of the Christians under a clergy member's care. For this reason, although any counseling that addresses the whole individual fits the definition of pastoral care, the term is most often associated with the help provided through a Christian church or organization. It can, however, refer to care provided through any religious denomination.

The origins of pastoral care were based on the ways Christ treated those who followed him. Christian theology teaches that Christ brought people back into a place of mental peace by bringing them into a good relationship with God. When people were healed by Christ or witnessed him healing others, it helped them to have faith in God and to deepen their relationship with God. Many stories in the Old Testament also show God caring for his people. Pastoral care often draws on biblical stories and principles to deepen faith because it is believed that trust in a divine being can help people face hardships and overcome difficulties, sometimes alongside counseling approaches.

Overview

The administration of pastoral care can be undertaken by an individual who is either an ordained member of the clergy or a trained layperson, including chaplains or spiritual care providers. This care can be offered to individuals, families, or even groups. For instance, an individual coping with past abuse, spouses encountering marital difficulties, a family attempting to blend step-siblings, and a school class stricken by the loss of a classmate in an accident would all be potential candidates for pastoral care.

Although the origins of pastoral care are religious, the care itself is not always religious in nature and may support people of any faith or none. Usually, however, the person administering it is grounded in the principles of faith and guided by the same sense of responsibility in caring for others that a shepherd has toward his flock. The caregiver strives to help people heal from whatever emotional or spiritual problem they are suffering. While it may not always be possible for the person to reach the same condition they were in before the situation that imposed the need for care, the caregiver will attempt to give the person the skills and tools needed to cope with circumstances and to reach a state of peace. Pastoral caregivers can also help people fix relationships by teaching them ways to forgive and reconcile.

Another function of pastoral caregivers is helping and guiding a person to make choices that are based in good moral and ethical principles, often using faith as a guideline. In some cases, this involves helping to educate and train a person to form relationships based on respect, kindness, generosity, and other values. It may also involve providing recommendations on practices that will help the person develop discipline and the ability to discern or decide how to best handle future situations. These recommendations may include such practices as reading the Bible or other faith-based texts, spending time in prayer and reflection, or making a retreat, time spent away from the normal routine of life and dedicated to prayer, reading, study, and reflection.

In some cases, pastoral caregivers will help in ways beyond listening and providing guidance. For example, a person who is struggling with a serious illness may have financial and practical concerns that can deepen the emotional and spiritual issues that lead to the need for pastoral care. Some caregivers are affiliated with churches or other centers with resources that can help provide emergency funds, meals for the person and their family, rides to medical appointments, childcare, and other needs. These are not the primary functions of pastoral care, but they are part of caring for the needs of the person.

Many schools, especially colleges and boarding schools, offer a form of pastoral care that may or may not be religious in nature. In these cases, pastoral refers to the responsibility of the school to care for the whole student. For instance, a student who is being bullied will not be in the best frame of mind to study and learn. Therefore, a school that adopts a pastoral care approach will not only provide counseling to help the student cope with and address the bullying, but it will also put in place the resources to foster an environment that supports and encourages kindness and respect. These resources can be emotional, psychological, physical, and/or spiritual in nature.

In some cases, hospital-based counselors also provide pastoral care. This can be provided by the chaplain, who is usually a clergy member associated specifically with the hospital, or by a non-clergy person specifically designated to help with the emotional and spiritual needs of patients. This person helps the patient to cope with the stresses associated with illness and to face issues related to loss of life.

Pastoral caregivers often prepare for these functions through formal studies in a college, university, or seminary, sometimes including Clinical Pastoral Education training. Some may take special nondegree classes to help form the skills needed. Those based with a religious organization will often be taught spiritual practices, such as prayer, fasting, and scripture study, that will help them prepare to help others. Pastoral caregivers are generally taught to listen with an open heart and mind and to be nonjudgmental. They work to develop the trust of the person or persons being assisted so that they can provide a safe place for those in need of pastoral care to resolve their issues.

Bibliography

Dames, Glenda A., and Gordon E. Dames. “Pastoral Care and Counselling in Current Times: Relevance and Context of Care.” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, vol. 81, no. 1, a10184, 23 Jan. 2025, doi:10.4102/hts.v81i1.10184. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Eclov, Lee. "My Top 10 Resources on Pastoral Care." Christianity Today, 28 Apr. 2016. www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/content/my-top-10-resources-on-pastoral-care/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Minter, Mike. “What is Pastoral Care and Why is it Important?” Justice & Mercy International, 25 Jan. 2023, justiceandmercy.org/what-is-pastoral-care-and-why-is-it-important. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

"Pastoral Care." University of Kentucky HealthCare, ukhealthcare.uky.edu/patients-visitors/pastoral-care. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

"Pastoral Epistles." Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Pastoral-Epistles. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.