Enriching Awareness and Practice in the Pastoral and Reflective Supervision of Clergy

This masterful and timely book offers hope and practical advice to religious communities at a time when care givers and church leaders are in personal and professional crisis. Gubi and his colleagues draw on a depth of research and personal experience in addressing effective and healthy forms of supervision for pastors. Especially impressive is the diversity of perspectives of the authors (gender, race, nationality, denomination), which allows readers to adapt their suggestions to their own contexts. The authors make a strong case for every denomination to implement some type of therapeutic supervision for all active pastors and church-based care givers. I highly recommend this as required reading in every theological school and pastoral training program. -- Craig D. Atwood, Moravian Theological Seminary For anyone interested in how to best support clergy in their work in these challenging times, this is a key and very readable text. It draws on a range of highly relevant approaches to providing such support to clergy, from differing denominations, and working in a variety of settings. -- William West, University of Chester This scholarly and innovative edited textbook provides a resource for supervisory and spiritual reflection across faiths. Drawing on the wisdom and insight of spiritual and faith traditions, the chapter authors provide insightful content, ranging from the complexities and dynamics of power in the pastoral supervisory relationship, the ethics of working with prayer in a supervision context, the importance of self-care, working inclusively, and consideration of culture and tradition in multifaith contexts and countries. Psychological concepts, including window of tolerance, parts work, shame, trauma informed work, and polyvagal theory are considered and provide a rich resource that spans neurobiology, psychology, spirituality and faith, creating a facilitative pluralistic resource for contemporary supervision. Supervision theory and concepts are extended. In particular, Gubi provides novel ways of extending the Hawkins and Shohet model through the addition of an eighth dimension - the theological/spiritual mode. The book integrates the theological and spiritual pastoral supervision. It provides a thoughtful and valuable endorsement of the essential role of professional pastoral supervision for those in multiple faith and clergy contexts. It offers an invaluable resource for supervision trainees, trainers, supervisors and those exploring the value of generating and facilitating professional, personal, and pastoral reflection. -- Lynne Gabriel, York St John University Enriching Awareness and Practice in the Pastoral and Reflective Supervision of Clergy is a groundbreaking book which addresses a variety of important perspectives that offer supervision conceptualizations informed by a diversity of theological insight, spirituality and faith. Key questions that are answered in the chapters of this book include: What is pastoral supervision? Where does a person in ministry go when they are discouraged, burned out, or facing challenges in their work? What is the nature of the pastoral supervisor and supervisees relationship? The diversity of chapters in this book which include reflecting on Presence and Power, Self-Care, Working with Diversity, working with Stuckness, Trauma, Shame as well as exploring the importance of pastoral supervision for clergy spouses, makes this a unique book. It provides much needed insight into the pastoral supervisory process and is a key text for anyone who is interested in the wellbeing of clergy, managing risk and safeguarding within the Church. -- Divine Charura, York St John University