Repensando os fundamentos do aconselhamento pastoral: por uma área de saber autônoma

Pastoral counseling faces an epistemic dilemma, oscillating between dogmatic “biblical” methodologies and integrationist proposals that uncritically incorporate psychological sciences. This research proposes a theoretical foundation for pastoral counseling based on a biblical reading directed by the practice of counseling and pastoral care, seeking elements that support its identity and methodologies as na autonomous fi eld of knowledge. Through theoretical and documentary analysis, with a qualitative and hermeneutic approach, epistemic foundations and biblical traditions of care in the Old and New Testaments were investigated. The results show that pastoral counseling has a defi ned object of study and distinctive methodologies, meeting the criteria for constituting na autonomous disciplinary fi eld. Distinctive characteristics that diff erentiate it from psychological approaches were identifi ed and, based on this, a dialectical stance is proposed that maintains the tension between biblical tradition and contributions from contemporary sciences, overcoming both dogmatic fundamentalismo and uncritical integrationism. It is concluded that pastoral counseling, grounded in biblical tradition and open to critical dialogue, has the potential to constitute itself as na autonomous disciplinary fi eld, off ering a unique contribution to the integral care of human beings in contemporary times.