Does Psychiatry Have a Place in the Pastoral Ministry?

The question posed by the title of this article is not academic. It is faced by every pastor who counsels depressed, troubled, hurting members of his flock. A little reading reveals a variety of views on the matter. A few writers almost entirely rule out the use of psychiatrists by Christians. On the other end of the spectrum are pastors who seem more interested in "preaching" the psychology of the world than they are in bringing God's Word to their flocks. In practice, many other pastors are...