The Experience of Studying Hebrew as a Student Who is Blind
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Unresolved family of origin issues can create anxieties for pastors and hinder their relationships with parishioners in many ways. In Becoming a Healthier Pastor, Ron Richardson discusses the importance of the family of origin in the pastor’s work. He explains that the attitudes that people have about family can cause them to react in certain ways to problems in the congregation, and the ways that they respond to problems in their family of origin will also be the ways they respond to other relational problems.
Richardson proposes working through unresolved issues from a systems theory approach. In several chapters, he explains what is involved in doing this kind of emotional work, including case studies so that readers can see the work happening. He explains that the basic goal of the work is differentiating the self and that differentiation means being able to function autonomously as well as being comfortable with other people’s differences. He explains what is involved in being emotionally ready to work on these issues and suggests that it can be helpful to do this in a group setting or with a counselor or mentor. Finally, he provides information for pastors about helping people in the congregation to do the same work. This book is not intended to be used alone. Richardson includes an appendix of additional resources. He refers readers to the appendix in the text when discussing preparation for doing the work. Richardson is aware that his space is limited and he cannot cover all possible issues in this text.
This text is a very emotionally-laden text. Ideally, it is the kind of thing that should be reflected on in bits and pieces. I appreciated Richardson's discussion of the fact that sometimes distance from the family of origin is necessary in the first chapter. It is also important to note that family of origin issues are not the only things that can create woundedness in person's life. These other sources of woundedness deserve attention as well; and this creates an area of limitedness in Richardson's book. The book is helpful as a resource in its area of focus; but it is only one resource and will not solve all areas of need in a person's life. It is vital to be aware of all areas of woundedness and to address them appropriately.
Richardson, Ronald W. Becoming A Healthier Pastor: Family Systems Theory and the Pastor’s Own Family. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2005.
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Sarah J. Blake