Father absence during childhood and its impact on adult males with implications for Christian ministry
Subject
Fathers and sons.Fatherless families.
Paternal deprivation.
Absentee fathers.
Paternal deprivation--Religious aspects--Christianity.
Men--Family relationships.
Counseling--Religious aspects--Christiantiy.
Description
This restricted item is available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary through the URI below.
Abstract
The objective of this dissertation was to examine the impact of father absence during childhood on adult males and to identify implications for Christian ministry. Information from the field of psychology, the men's movement, pastoral care and counseling, marriage and family ministry, and systematic theology were the primary sources of data.
Chapter 1 introduces the study and includes the problem, the reason and importance of the study, the thesis statement, the delimitations, and a proposed direction for the study.
Chapter 2 looks at the importance of fatherhood and how the absence or involvement of fathers can affect adult males. This chapter also examines the many ways that the absent father contributes to the problems experienced by adult males.
Chapter 3 critiques the psychological and psychoanalytic literature from an evangelical theological perspective.
Chapter 4 develops an explicitly Christian psychology designed to address the wound caused by father absence. The place of the triune God, the Bible, and religion in the healing process are also included.
In chapter 5, practical strategies and tangible solutions are explored to tackle the problem of father absence.
Chapter 6 outlines the implications of this study for Christian ministry, Christian counseling, and clinical research.