From a presentation by Dr. Harold Senkbeil at the Good Shepherd Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana from November 2022. Here is the article.
“This study looks at the nature of the care of souls and its impact on the church in various eras, including our own. While it is addressed to everyone interested in the church’s ministry to people, including laity, it addresses especially and particularly the pastors of the church and their work as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Specifically, I wish to provide perspective on the art of the care of souls—what it is, why it originated, how it was practiced during much of the church’s history, and how it flourished for centuries in our Lutheran tradition. I will point out why, in my estimation, it went into hibernation for much of the twentieth century, only to surface again in recent decades and—most importantly—why I am convinced it is essential for the tumultuous times in which we live.”