Learning to Sail in the Storm: Integrating Murray Bowen's Concept of Differentiation of Self with Pastoral Theology and Leadership

Abstract

This thesis integrates Murray Bowen’s concept of Differentiation of Self (DoS) with pastoral theology and practice. It does so with a particular emphasis on how DoS can assist pastors living and working in the North American context, and who are wrestling with vocational issues surrounding secularism, as defined by philosopher Charles Taylor, and systems anxiety. After laying out the initial problem of pastoral ministry within the North American context and then showing how Bowen’s understanding of family systems can and cannot overlap with Christian theology and practice, each chapter of this thesis aims to approach the issue of integration of DoS and pastoral theology from a different perspective: hermeneutic, missiological, and finally systems leadership.