Janse van Rensburg, JohanWambugu, Anne Gathoni2016-11-232016-11-232013-04http://hdl.handle.net/11660/4754This study explored the Christian solidarity in pastoral counselling within the Kenyan context. The research was both qualitative and descriptive in nature. The design used was phenomenological. Descriptive data were from real counselling cases whose stories are included in the Appendicess and their analysis in Chapter Four. Some pastors also participated in the study. The objectives, all studied within the Kenyan context were: to investigate the caring behavior of the pastors; to establish whether the pastoral spirituality of solidarity may empower pastors in pastoral care and counselling in the Kenyan context; to investigate how pastoral counselling effectiveness is affected by pastoral education, ethics and skills within the Kenyan context; finding out whether mutual growth and rapport result between pastoral workers and their sufferers through their helping relationships; to explore whether by focusing on the stories of people’s experiences pastors could find an effective and a non-judgmental counselling approach that focuses on collaborative action; explore how biblical narratives and other narratives could be valuable therapeutic tools in the Kenyan context; and to find out how Kenyan pastoral counsellors/carers could rise above ethnicity and political difference in their care-giving. These were expected to give a gauge of pastoral Christian solidarity with their congregation as a measure of caregiving quality. The study concluded that most Kenyans seek help from pastors when in crisis. However, for the hurting to experience Christian solidarity from their pastors, there is need for a practice that is engraved in biblical principles of spirituality of solidarity, ethics and professional competence. Lack of adequate training in those areas posed major threats to effective pastoral caregiving in the Kenyan Church. Importantly, the study has distinct benefits for the Kenyan Christian counselling carers. It offers a variety of counselling tools accessible to pastors and community healers. It will also contribute to the area of knowledge to counselling professionals as it brings in a rich integrated spirituality and psychological treatment.enThesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--University of the Free State, 2013Pastoral carePastoral theologyPastoral counselingSpiritual directionChristianityThesisUniversity of the Free State