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Embodying Bowen's family system theory and claiming my soul

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

James T Gottwald. Embodying Bowen's Family System Theory and Claiming My Soul. Western Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/80e1985c-4574-418c-bc02-7febc01d91bc.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

J. T. Gottwald. Embodying Bowen's family system theory and claiming my soul. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/80e1985c-4574-418c-bc02-7febc01d91bc

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

James T Gottwald. Embodying Bowen's Family System Theory and Claiming My Soul. Western Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/80e1985c-4574-418c-bc02-7febc01d91bc.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

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Abstract
  • Bowen's Family System Theory offers a comprehensive way to think about human behavior. This paper examines how one pastor embodied the theory in a way that takes into account the more inclusive transformation of the gospel. Bowen's theory helped give the pastor a framework in which to understand events in the life of the congregation. There were, however, problems with how the pastor initially utilized the theory. The goal of objectivity inherent in Bowen's Family System Theory was initially utilized by the pastor as a reason to discount the value of feelings and the pastor's own emotional process. The discounting of feelings encouraged the pastor to continue a pattern of overfunctioning. It shows how the pastor engaged in an overfunctioning/underfunctioning relationship with himself and the congregation. To counteract the pastor's tendency to overfunction, the project utilizes a theology of God's immanence as discerned in the biblical tree of life. This thesis shows how with coaching, practice, and theological reflection, the pastor was able to reconnect with his own emotional process and gain trust in God's salvation.
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Last modified
  • 02/17/2024

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