Foreword. Part 1: The Responsibilities and Limitations of the Task 1. Principles and Methods 2. Psychology and the Care of Souls 3. From Medicina Clerica to Pastoral Psychology 4. Methods of Treatment 5. The Care of Souls and the Unconscious 6. Pastoral Advice Part 2: Concerning Confession 1. Christian Confession 2. True Confession 3. Confession and Penance 4. Evangelical Casuistry 5. Confession and Scrupulosity 6. The Dangers of Confession Part 3: The Psychology of Unbelief 1. The Source of Religious Need 2. Popular Belief and Unbelief 3. Unbelief in the Individual 4. Doubt and Religious Development 5. Religion and Self-Deception Part 4: Guilt and the Fear of Punishment 1. Morality and Fear of Punishment 2. Disguises of the Fear of Punishment 3. The Real Guilt Feeling Part 5: Symptomatic Religiosity in Neurosis and Insanity 1. Who is Normal? 2. Symptomatic Religiosity 3. The Mentally Diseased 4. The Religious Element in Mental Disease 5. The Spiritual Care of the Insane 6. The Religious Depression 7. Asceticism and Spiritual Training Part 6: The Psychology of Conversion and Growth in Grace 1. Conversion and Growth in Grace 2. The Problem of Sublimation 3. Faith or Suggestion? 4. Man at the Frontier. Index.
Biography
Göte Bergsten (d.1954) was, at the time of original publication, Superintendent and Chaplain of St. Lukasstiftelsens (St. Luke’s Foundation), Institute for Psychology and Spiritual Counsel, Stockholm.
Reviews for the original publication:
‘This book strikes me as remarkably sane and balanced. All pastors, no matter how they describe the work, do hear confessions and all should get help from this book.’ – Manchester Guardian
‘A very good book to place into the hands of a busy minister who finds little time to read widely, yet desired to increase his efficiency in the care of souls.’ – Church of England Newspaper
‘One can strongly recommend this book to all who are concerned to help people individually.’ – Churchman
‘This is an extremely useful book and ministers especially will find that it will really help them to make their pastoral work more effective in the building up of Christian personalities.’ – Christian World
‘A very welcome and thought provoking contribution to the much needed rapprochement between psychiatry and pastoral psychology.’ – The Guardian
‘The book is both a suitable text-book for students and a helpful guide to the minister who practices psychological treatment amongst his flock… Altogether the book can be recommended as one of the best written on its subject.’ – London Quarterly Review
‘This work should be read for the way it opens up the field on which psychology and religion meet.’ – Congregational Quarterly
