In Living Color: An Intercultural Approach To P... [EXCLUSIVE]

How does pastoral care then relate to culture in multicultural religious communities for effective care? Browning (1976) challenges the adaptation of psychology and psychotherapy by pastoral counsellors to care for religious communities. This, he argues, loses the moral context distinctive to Christianity. Psychotherapy and psychology has also come under scrutiny from both British and American pastoral care practitioners and theologians. Lartey (2003) suggests that pastoral care responds effectively to intercultural communities by transforming culture. This approach, namely pastoral care transforming culture, is very valuable to any discussion about pastoral care and culture. However, Lartey's approach contradicts his own critique of Western approaches and colonialisation, namely that Western approaches transform indigenous cultures. Louw, with his reformed tradition background, puts emphasis on spirituality rather than kerygma. Both Louw and Lartey follow many African scholars who emphasise the spiritual centeredness of worldview. According to Louw (2015:120) spirituality transforms culture, 'colo- the way and mode in which human beings transform the environment, earth and land (creation) into a hospitable place of peaceful co-existence home, cohabitation'. Transformation of culture leads to coercion and a subsequent hostile relationship between culture and care.

In Living Color: An Intercultural Approach to P...

Narrative approaches have become important in practical theology in the last two decades. The use of narrative in pastoral care can be associated with Charles Gerkin, Chris Schlauch, Andrew Lester, and Julian Müller (Ganzevoort 2012:218-219). Müller's pastoral care model represents an evolving model one. Drawing from the approach of Dyche, Zayas Müller (2015:33) 'strongly argues for the not knowing position of the narrative approach as the only acceptable approach in an intercultural therapeutic situation'.2 This approach, which Müller (2015:34) called the social constructionist approach, is characterised by 'mutual conversational co-creation of new stories', 'historically situated interchanges between people', understanding on the basis of 'vicissitudes of social processes' and 'negotiated understanding'. Influenced by Wentzel van Huyssteen's post foundational theology, Müller (2004:304) develops a post foundationalism approach3 of practical theology. The shift is from culture to tradition. This approach derives from the locality of experience and dialogical movement between tradition and context.

Müller is regarded as one of the most influential practical theologians who established the narrative approach to pastoral care in South Africa and in Africa at large. To what extent does Müller address the shortcomings of pastoral care in relation to interculturality as mentioned above? Dreyer (2014:7) who places Müller in the metaphorical approaches in the human and social sciences, asserts that Müller's approach is 'human-centred and participatory' and is at risk of overemphasising the ontological claim that identity and personhood be reduced to narrative, that truth is reduced to narrative and methodological impoverished. This critique is an extension of the neglect of the marginalised groups and those at the periphery who use narrative as 'an audience to tell their stories'. This is neglected within practical theology (Ganzevoort 2012:214). Feminist and womanist theology (Carol Christ), liberation theology (Gustaff Gutierrez) and black theology (James Cone) usually connect personal stories and praxis with Scripture and classical interpretations. Marginalised groups find the space to tell their stories to an audience that might consist of dominant and powerful groups.

Advancing the Voice of the Marginalized. Fifth, CRT asserts that racial minorities are routinely excluded from the historical accounts given by dominant groups. It suggests that this is an attempt by the dominant group to justify and legitimize its power. CRT therefore calls for the voices of the oppressed to be reflected in any recount of history. It asserts that minorities are best able to articulate the meaning of race and racism because they have experienced oppression and that such experience is insightful and legitimate. Therefore, new approaches must be developed to capture and incorporate their experiences as members of marginalized groups living in existing institutional arrangements (Ortiz & Jani, 2010). 041b061a72