Bukal Life Journal, 2025

1. Bukal Life Journal 2025 Edition Publication of Bukal Life Care & Counseling Center

2. Bukal Life Care Journal 2025 A publication of Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center (A CPSP-Philippines Accredited Training Center) www.bukallifecare.org Bukal Life Care & Counseling Center 1st Floor ZDH Building Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary 19 Tacay Road Guisad Central 2600 Baguio City, Philippines bukallife@gmail.com Editor: Robert H. Munson The enclosed articles are the product of their authors and do not necessarily express the opinions of the board or staff volunteers of Bukal Life Care & Counseling Center. Cover Image: “Psalm One” Sketch by Rebekah D. Munson 2

3. Contents Editorial 4 My Supervision Experience, by Carmel Villar 5 Comparative Reflections on Clinical Pastoral Education: Philippines and the United States, by Salvador Delmundo Jr. 12 Trees and Art Therapy, by Celia and Robert Munson Theological Integration, by Jezza C. Pingo 15 24 The Pervading Presence of Deceit and Lies in our Daily Human Living, by Calixto Sodoy 33 CPSP-Philippines First Plenary Gathering 37 Book Reviews 39 Bukal Life Care Books 45 A Brief History of Bukal Life Care 47 Contributors Page 49 3

4. From the Editor This is our fourth edition of the Bukal Life Journal. Our first volume was in 2012, second in 2013, and our third in 2022. It has never been our plan to have such large time gaps between editions. Hopefully, we will be able to put out future additions in a more predictable manner--- at least every other year. This edition not based on a central theme. Two of the papers were works cre- ated for the purpose of a certification board. One of these is a theological inte- gration paper, by Jezza Pingo, for consideration to be a Board Certified Clini- cal Chaplain. The other is a Philosophy of Supervision paper, by Carmel Villar, for consideration to be a Diplomate in Pastoral Supervision. Both of these cer- tification boards were successful. Two papers were given by friends of Bukal Life Care (from Salvador Delmundo and Calixto Sodoy). They were originally given for our own edification, but they gave permission for the works to be shared in the journal. Celia and myself wrote a paper on art therapy, and each of us finished the main body of this journal with a book review. If this edition was to have a unifying theme, it would have/should have been relating to 2025 being a key year for the Clinical Pastoral movement. One hundred years ago, 2025, Anton T. Boisen began training theology stu- dents for ministry in a psychiatric center in Massachusetts, United States. And that is not the only thing that makes 2025 a key year. Sixty years ago, June 7, 1965, J. Albert Dalton began holding CPE training at St. Lukes Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. If we wanted to take it further… fifteen years ago, Bukal Life Care had its official inauguration, with ourr formal inauguration oc- currring in October, 2010. 4

5. My Supervision Experience by Carmel Villar, DPS I got myself into the task of supervision out of my sincere desire to help people help people. It started when I gave a mental health lecture to a group of young people. Before my designated session, their session was on National Situationer where young people were made aware of the dire situation of our country and society. Then my turn came. I gave them basic information and how they can identify peers who are going through mental health struggles. I made my input short since they are already bombarded with too much information. I also thought, my task is just to raise awareness of the growing incidence of mental health struggles especially among the youth. When the question and answer came, I was moved by the depth of the young people’s mental health struggles. After the session, we were supposed to have our dinner, but there were young people who were lining up desiring to talk to me in person. During dinner, youth leaders gathered around me asking for tips on how to handle situations when a youth would show mental health struggle. This experience intensified my desire to help people help people who are struggling, particularly, with mental health problems. Thus started my journey to supervision. What is Supervision According to Barry K. Estadt in “Toward Professional Integration,” “Supervision is used to refer to administrative supervision, to beginning skill training as well as to a more intensive clinical process… [it]is defined as a special kind of tutorial relationship in which a person with less experience presents his/her work for the scrutiny and critique of a person with more experience.”1 Supervision as Skill Training -------------------------- 1Barry K. Estadt. “Toward Professional Integration” in Estadt, B.K., Compton, J. R., and Blanchette, M., Eds. The Art of Clinical Supervision: A Pastoral Counseling Perspective. New York: Paulist Press, 1987, p 8. 5

6. Following this definition, my first journey to supervision was skill training – training seminary students in acquiring helping skills, again, with the intent of providing those with the desire to help people with the skills in helping people. My approach was, then, to provide them with the basic listening skills which is an introductory to any work of counseling or helping ministry. In a group setting, volunteer members would act out a given scenario. My favorite scenario would be a line, like, “Pastor, mabubuhay ko lang ba ang aking pamilya sa pagpapastor lamang?” (Pastor, will I be able to support my family with just pastoral work?. A member of the class would act out this line, then I would ask the class, “Anong narinig nyo?” (What have you heard?). I am surprised by the answers provided: “kulang sya sa pananampalataya!” (He lacks faith!) “Baka hindi sya segurado sa pagpapastor?” (He must be unsure of his calling?) and a gamut of other answers. With this seemingly simple exercise, as a supervisor, I could already sense their readiness to listen to a person without judgment or determination. But their answers show their judgment and lack of listening skills. After assessing their skills, I then designed a program to hone their listening skills, withhold judgment, and be empathic without providing ready advice. In the program, I also bring forward the factors that prevents the listener to hear what has been said,like what happened to the chaplain-in-training in this encounter: The chaplain-in-training was in conversation with a church member who was deep in debt. A portion of their conversation went like this (Translated from Tagalog): C(haplain)4: How are you handling your situation P(atient)4 Pastor, I rely on prayer. Even if I am not able to go to church, I fervently and continually pray to God to help us in our situation. I pray everyday that God will help us survive this hardship. I try hard to work with what is available. (She starts to cry). Pastor, I have thought of taking my own life because of stress. I couldn’t sleep thinking about the debts that have to be paid. I couldn’t tell my children because I don’t 6

7. want to cause them stress. Life is so hard, everything depends on money to be able to do anything. Why did God give us this kind of life? C(haplain)5: I heard what you are thinking and feeling. I accept all that you say and what you are going through which reflect the reality of our present time. My sister, what is your understanding of why you are suffering in poverty? Why do you need to borrow and be in debt? Why do you not have a decent job? Obviously, the chaplain-in-training missed the emotion and the risk that the client was facing. Instead of addressing the emotional turmoil, the chaplain-in- training engaged the client in rhetorical discourse. When I pointed out to the chaplain emotional turmoil of the client to the point of thinking of taking her own life, what could be the reason behind her not hearing the anguish expressed by the client. She confessed that whenever there is talk about death, she closes her ear and heart due to the grief she is going through over the death of her grandmother. As a supervisor, it is my task to bring forward and make the supervisee aware of hindrances and obstacles for them to fully listen to the story of the client and provide appropriate intervention. Supervision is a Mentor-Mentee Relationship Supervision is not just about skill training but handing down not only skills but values. And this is done in the context of relationships. Supervision plays a crucial role in shaping individuals and organizations by developing and passing on core values. It acts as a bridge between theoretical ideals and practical implementation, ensuring that values are not only understood but also embodied and practiced. Supervision is often seen as a tool for guidance and accountability, but its deeper significance lies in value transmission. This is achieved through a mentor-mentee relationship. Modeling Behavior Supervisors serve as role models. By demonstrating values in their actions and decisions, they inspire others to adopt similar behaviors. 7

8. When supervisors consistently exhibit integrity, respect, and empathy, they set a standard for others to follow. Facilitating Discussions Supervisors create spaces for open dialogue about values. By encouraging discussions about ethical dilemmas and decision-making processes, they help individuals internalize values and understand their importance in various contexts. Values transmitted may be founded from one’s faith and religious values. Consequently, conflict might rise when faith and religious beliefs contradict one another. The supervisor must develop and exhibit religious literacy and be versed in interfaith practices. A client approached me with her struggle in accepting her daughter who is in an same-sex relationship. She couldn’t accept that her daughter is in a lesbian relationship. What complicated the matter was her own mother (the grandmother) accepted her daughter’s relationship and even welcomed her daughter and her lesbian partner into their home to stay. In anger, my client left their home and lived somewhere else. She turned to me and asked, “if you were me, you would have done the same thing, would you?” expecting a positive response because I am a pastor. I was tempted to impose to her my values of non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. But her values have to be respected and her emotions validated. So I asked her about her values: which is more important for her, her family or her stance on LGBTQ relationships? She insisted that she can accept LGBTQ persons but not her daughter’s relationship with a lesbian. I deepened our conversation by addressing how she is going to strengthen her relationship with her daughter and mother despite their differing stance on LGBTQ relationships. In another instance, I struggled over my advocacy of Mental Health Awareness when I encounter people who think and believe that suicide is a mortal sin and 8

9. should be convinced when I have been going around raising awareness that suicide is death caused by the illness of depression. A young person in our community died by suicide. Her father, who was a church leader, and this person was a youth leader in their church. Her aunt approached me with the news of her niece’s death. She asked, “Will my niece go to heaven?” In this instance, the only comfort I could give her and her family is the assurance that her niece died because she was ill with depression. She did admit that her niece has been telling her that she wanted to die. But she had a misconception that if a person talks about wanting to die, that this was just all talk. I took this opportunity to make her aware of mental health risks and signs to prevent the occurence of suicide in their community. Sharing and passing on Supervision as Spiritual Companionship Clinical Pastoral Education supervision includes spiritual companionship with the goal of achieving deep personal growth. This supervisory role embraces a holistic approach that considers the spiritual and emotional dimensions of those being guided, in areas of: Personal Growth One of the primary benefits of this supervisory approach is the facilitation of personal growth. By addressing the spiritual and emotional aspects of an individual's life, the supervisor helps them to achieve a deeper level of self-understanding and personal development, especially, with regards to one's understanding and perspective of ministry. Enhanced Motivation 9

10. When individuals feel heard and understood, their motivation and engagement levels often increase. This philosophy encourages supervisees/mentees to pursue their goals with renewed vigor, knowing they have a supportive figure guiding them. Strengthened Relationships The relationship between supervisor and supervisee/mentee becomes a partnership grounded in trust and mutual respect. This strengthens the bond and leads to more effective and collaborative outcomes. Pastor L came to my office, initially, to visit me being my classmate. After our initial conversation of updating each other, our conversation shifted to her desire to level up in her CPE training and become a supervisor. Her goal is to establish a CPE training center in Eastern Visayas. Since the format of CPE at UTS is community-based, she wanted to duplicate the program format in her area. After laying down to her the requirements of CPE towards supervision, the deeper reason for considering working on being a CPE supervisor surfaced: she has lost the sense of purpose in staying in local church ministry. She was being challenged in her role as a wife and mother at the same time being a pastor. Going deeper, economics played a crucial role in her consideration. She could tell me her struggles, mainly, I believe, because she trusted me, not only as a friend - with years of friendship in between, but also as pastor and CPE supervisor. She felt like her growth, as a minister, has been stunted when she is being assigned to remote islands. And the fact that the communities where she is serving are fishing communities, her financial support suffered. Her relationship with her family also suffered because of the distance of her church assignment. Journeying with her, and accompanying her in her search for “God’s will” in her ministry, personal, and family life, is much needed by pastors and anyone facing a crossroad in their life. But what is important, other than a listening ear, is a heart that is also attuned to the struggles of the spirit that asks, “Where is God leading me? Where is God in all these struggles,” without predetermination and judgment. 10

11. Pastor L is still serving in her area, serving churches in three different islands. She still leaves her family every weekend. She is still struggling with their family finances. What changed was her perspective in ministry, a renewed and strengthened relationship with her husband and daughter, and a new sense of purpose in her visits in her parish. She is still negotiating with her bishop for advanced theological education to qualify her for CPE supervisory training. She continues to consult with me when she encounters a roadblock, but the consultation has become less frequent. Summary and conclusion My philosophy of supervision can be summarized as providing and helping supervisees acquire helping skills, forming and passing on values through respectful relationship and spiritual companionship in order to inspire personal growth, enhance motivation and strengthen relationship. But at the heart of my philosophy of supervision is the desire to help those who wanted to help others, so that when those who help experiences roadblocks, loses focus and inspiration,and their passion is fading out, my presence could somehow make them rethink their option of quitting but be inspired to continue… to PADAYON. Also, my philosophy of supervision is to open ways for helpers to take care of themselves… to AMPING themselves and those they care. 11

12. Comparative Reflections on Clinical Pastoral Education: Philippines and the United States By Salvador Delmundo Jr. MDiv MBA APBCC As both a mental health chaplain and Christian minister with direct experience in both systems, I offer these reflections from my personal journey. I completed two Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units in the Philippines—one for academic credit during my theological studies and another following my MDiv in 1997—which introduced me to the ministry and profession of healthcare chaplaincy in the US. This foundation led me to pursue a CPE residency in Houston, Texas, followed by two years of Supervisory-in-Training (SIT) preparation before fully committing to chaplaincy as my vocational focus. Having now served as a professional healthcare chaplain and department director for more than 20 years, I've witnessed firsthand the distinct approaches these systems embody. The Philippine context, with its limited professional chaplaincy infrastructure and employment pathways, necessarily shapes CPE differently than the US healthcare system. Philippine CPE programs appropriately focus on gaining national recognition and legitimacy within their own healthcare and ministerial contexts. The reality remains that training often prepares candidates for a professional landscape that is still developing locally, creating a disconnect between rigorous preparation and available ministry opportunities. This challenge was evident during my Philippine training, where the emphasis remained primarily on pastoral formation with professional chaplaincy concepts introduced as supplementary rather than central to the curriculum. Based on my own experience, conversations with CPE supervisors in the Philippines (both recent and from years past), discussions with current and former CPE students, curriculum reviews, and anecdotal reports, it appears that most—if not all—Philippine CPE programs appropriate strong psychodynamic psychological foundations in their training approach. My invitations to present at CPE didactics in various Philippine programs and 12

13. professional meetings have reinforced this observation over time. This psychodynamic approach offers valuable insights into human behavior, but it may overemphasize intrapsychic processes at the expense of more comprehensive competency frameworks established by professional chaplaincy organizations. The US standards emphasize broader evidence- based approaches, cultural competence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and outcome-oriented spiritual care that Philippine programs might benefit from incorporating more robustly alongside psychodynamic foundations. A fundamental distinction emerges in the purpose of CPE across these contexts. In the Philippines, CPE primarily functions as an enrichment pathway for pastoral formation and ministry development, emphasizing theological integration and personal growth that enhance parish ministry, congregational leadership, and community-based pastoral care. This orientation reflects ecclesiastical priorities within Philippine religious contexts, where graduates typically return to congregational settings rather than healthcare institutions. By contrast, CPE in the United States—particularly beyond the introductory unit—has evolved into specialized professional training for healthcare chaplaincy, with sequential units progressively developing clinical competencies, professional standards, and healthcare integration skills with certification as the intended outcome. This distinction became acutely apparent during my residency in Houston, where the professional focus intensified significantly compared to my training in the Philippines. The professional competencies outlined by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and the Spiritual Care Association (SCA), two of the primary certifying bodies for healthcare chaplaincy, reflect decades of chaplaincy integration within the US healthcare system, encompassing documentation standards, quality improvement processes, research literacy, and regulatory compliance. Philippine CPE, while strong in theological reflection and pastoral identity formation, often has fewer opportunities to develop these specialized healthcare competencies. This gap isn’t merely academic; it represents crucial professional knowledge required for chaplains to function effectively within complex medical systems and multidisciplinary teams. My transition required significant additional learning beyond what my initial Philippine units provided. Perhaps the most significant blind spot in Philippine CPE training relates to navigating the intricacies of the healthcare systems themselves. US chaplains must understand insurance frameworks, patient rights legislation, healthcare ethics committees, electronic medical records, and institutional accreditation requirements—practical knowledge that is difficult to convey without immersion 13

14. in these environments. Additionally, US chaplains face unique challenges navigating the politics and rivalry between different chaplaincy cognate groups and professional organizations—a complex landscape that Philippine programs rarely address. Philippine chaplains transitioning to US healthcare settings face steep learning curves in understanding these structural realities and organizational dynamics that shape contemporary spiritual care delivery and determine how chaplaincy services are valued, assessed, and integrated. My twenty years in professional chaplaincy have continually reinforced how essential these system navigation skills are to effective practice. Both traditions have much to offer one another in respectful dialogue. It’s essential to recognize that significant changes have occurred in Philippine CPE programs since my last direct experience in 1997, although my ongoing invitations to participate in Philippine CPE events have kept me somewhat connected to developments in the field. The observations offered here should be understood within that evolving context. One tongue-in-cheek observation worth noting: while Philippine chaplains may not be fully prepared for the complexities of US healthcare systems, they might find themselves surprisingly well-equipped to navigate the office politics and organizational intrigue that professional chaplains often encounter in American institutions— dynamics not unlike the church politics many have already experienced in Philippine contexts. The challenge remains developing training that honors cultural contexts while preparing chaplains with transferable competencies that bridge diverse healthcare environments. My journey through both systems has convinced me that integrating these complementary strengths would benefit spiritual care in both contexts. 14

15. TREES AND ART THERAPY by Celia and Robert Munson There are certain metaphors that resonate well with a person’s life. One of these is a house. In many ways, our lives are intertwined with where we live so we can describe our lives quite well in terms of a house--- both in terms of physical features and lived areas of a house. One that perhaps resonates even better is a tree. A tree is living and dynamic. The Bible uses trees on a number of occasions to represent a person or peo- ple. Perhaps the best known example of this is Psalms 1. In it a righteous per- son is described in terms of a tree. Such a tree is seen as: -Well-watered (planted by a river) -Fruitful (brings forth fruit in season, and the person’s actions are profitable/fruitful) -Green and healthy (leaf does not whither) -Well-rooted and strong (implied by its contrast to chaff that the wind blows away) In pastoral counseling that utilizes art, trees have an additional advantage. They are easy to draw and both positive and negative aspects in one’s life can be fairly easily shown in a drawing of a tree. The process of using art in pastoral counseling is not to necessarily reveal hid- den secrets in a person’s life--- especially those secrets that the person is un- aware of. Rather, the goal is to help the person explore and communicate complicated aspects of their social, spiritual, and psychoemotional state. In other words it helps to create meaningful dialogue. This dialogue can be be- tween the counselee and the pastoral counselor, or it can be done in a small, safe, group. 15

16. At Bukal Life Care, we have used art as a part of pastoral counseling. The one we use most often is “Color Your World” that involves creating paper art of one’s own choice based on emotions linked to select colors.1 These are then shared in a group setting. Another place we have used art is in disaster re- sponse when working with children.Children are invited to draw their home in terms of past (before the disaster), present (after the disaster), and future (a hopeful future). We have also done some limited work with trees for doing pas- toral counseling. The following are three ways trees can be used. We have utilized the first two successfully. The third we have not, yet, used. However, it seems to be a valu- able one to consider. That being said, we make no claim to be experts in art therapy generally, or these forms of art therapy specifically. Those interested are encouraged to learn more from those who know more. 1. Relationship Tree This tree visualizes grief--- especially the loss of a loved one. The method we used is based on one by Peterson and Goldberg.2 Materials per person: 1 1 Many Sheet of white bond paper* Black marker to draw the outline of a bare tree * Leaf--shaped pieces of paper colored green, yellow, and brown. Ballpoint pen Glue stick 1 1 *one can draw the outline of a barren tree and then make multiple copies so that the participants will use identical trees instead of creating their own. The creative procedure is pretty straightforward. The counselees, assuming it is a group, are to take the white sheet a draw the outline of a barren tree (un- less the outline is already provided on the paper). Each are given several green, yellow, and brown “leaves.” Green leaves are positive thoughts, traits, 1Jenny Pak. “Color Your World.” Seminar. Narramore Christian Foundation Seminar, Chiang Mai, Thai- land. October 2012. 2N. Lynn Peterson and Rebecca M. Goldberg. “Creating Relationship Trees with Grieving Clients: An Ex- periential Approach to Grief Counseling”. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 2016, Vol 11 #2. 198-212. 16

17. or feelings associated with the one lost. Brown leaves are negative thoughts, traits, or feelings associated with the one lost. Yellow leaves are ambivalent thoughts, traits, or feelings associated with the one lost. Generally these leaves would be placed on the branches of the tree. However, the counselee may choose to places some leaves on the ground or in the process of falling to the ground. For example, perhaps a green leaf could shown as falling to the ground with the label “her singing voice.” Upon explain- ing the artwork, the counselee might explain, “My mother had a beautiful singing voice. However, as the weeks pass I am already forgetting what she sounds like. Yellow leaves may require extra explanation. For example, a yel- low leaf may be labeled, “sense of humor.” The counselee may go on to ex- plain, that her mother was very funny when she wanted to be (postive) but also use her sense of humor to be cutting at times (negative). Additionally one can choose to mark down key events (good, bad, or conflicted) or pretty much any- thing else that bears emotional weight in terms of the counselee and the one who is gone. The figure below is an example tree, following the example of Peterson and Goldberg. They used an example of a grown child of a woman who died. There is a strong sense of grief and loss, but that loss is complicated in a man- ner that mirrors the complicated nature of their relationship before death. As already suggested, the next step is to show the artwork to the counselor or group. The group needs to be a “safe” place and be recognized as a safe place by the counselee. The group needs to understand the need to maintain confidentiality, to be non-judgmental, and be emotionally supportive. The group can respond to the presentation but focusing more on feelings, and less on facts. For one-on-one work the counselor can probe the feelings, especially the ambivalent “leaves” and explore the possibility of reframing some aspects of the relationship. The goal is to help the counselee to “reauthor” various past events, under- standing of personality traits (especially of the loved one but also perhaps of self), and the relationship. It might even lead to exploring whether to change some of the leaves in terms of labeling or color. Peterson and Goldberg offer questions that may help in moving the counselee toward a positive processing of grief. These go beyond what will be shared here. However, in many ways, the power is in the process. The overall process will be reviewed at the end of this article. 17

18. Example of a Relationship Tree3 2. The Timeline Tree (or Support Tree) Perhaps there should be a better term for this process, but at Bukal Life Care, we have used a sketch of a banyan tree to help one explore one’s support sys- tem. Doing this can be seen as showing through art a client’s spiritual history. Spiritual History is the foundational aspect of pastoral counseling. An example of a spiritual history is FICA.4 It stands for Faith, Importance, Community, and Assistance. So Faith explores the suport one receives from one’s faith or spiri- tuality. Community refers to the role of family, friends, churchmates, neighbors and others as a source of strength. Importance refers to how important are 3Ibid. 4Puchalski, C. M. and Romer A. L. “Taking a Spiritual History Allows Clinicians to Understand Patients More Fully,” Journal of Palliative Medicine 3 (2000): 129-137. 18

19. both Faith/God and Community in one’s well-being and growth. Finally, Assis- tance is where the counselor asks how he or she can be of help. This role of spiritual history is shown a bit more explicitly as a part of pastoral diagnosis and pastoral counseling in what we call the FHL (Faith, Hope, Love) model as shown in the figure below. The bottom foundational step or tier is Faith and is essentially the spiritual history. In that tier are three of Paul Pruyser’s components of pastoral diagnosis.5 One of them is “Sacred” or “The Holy.” It explores the role of God, or Higher Power, or the Sacred in one’s life. Another is Community or Communion, which again explores one’s social rela- tionships as a source of strength. And the third area is Trust (or Providence) where one explores that which is sacred/holy and one’s social support network work (or fail to work) in one’s life. Faith Hope Love (FHL Model)6 One way to explore this is through the banyan tree. The banyan has a main trunk, but as the tree spreads outward and upward, it drops aerial roots that, when reaching the ground, take root and then grow to be secondary trunks that provide additional support for the tree. Given an image of the banyan tree, the client may be invited to label areas of strength or support. The branches and leaves growing upward are empowered 5Paul Pruyser. The Pastor as Diagnostician: Personal Problems in Pastoral Perspective (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1976). 6Robert and Celia Munson. Dynamics in Pastoral Care ________________, 97-98. 19

20. by the sun, and can seen as the vertical or spiritual component of strength. How is one’s empowered through what is transcendent, sacred, holy, divine. These can be written along the top of the image. Additionally, areas of “hori- zontal strengthening” such as friends, family, and more can be labeled along the bottom as relating to these secondary supports that prop the branches of the tree up. The image helps the client recognize the importance of both aspects as they are needed for healthy growth--- that which leads one to reach higher is also dependent on what reaches downward and provides “grounding” or support. Banyan trees also have aerial roots that have not reached the ground yet, or have not reached a point of providing structural strength, to the tree. These are important aspects to consider---- future relationships or growth in relationships that would help growth. From there, one could also explores those branches that are not yet really reaching upward--- ways in which there is need for greater reliance on God to embrace spiritual growth. Often, we use the banyan tree image tied to a client’s personal timeline. The client may mark down key moments in his or her personal timeline. The vari- ous items can then be put on to the tree depending on each item’s role in the growth of the person… or perhaps a failure to grow. Creativity can be used in the use of the drawing. For example later items on the timeline may be placed further outward or upward from the main trunk, or perhaps different directions may focus on different aspects of growth. The goal of this form of therapy is not to be overly directive, but to help the client explore his or her life through an organic metaphor. 20

21. 3. Tree of Life This is a form of art therapy that we have not yet used at Bukal Life Care, but hope to explore in the future. It can be used in many different ways, but the most common relates to survivors of trauma. Of course, art is also commonly used to help draw out what is going on in children. This type of therapy was developed by Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo and David Denborough.7 Unlike the previ- ous two uses of the tree art described above, this seeks to utilize every part of the tree to discuss one’s life. The client is encouraged to draw a tree (particularly a fruit tree, such as apple or mango. As the client than talks about the tree that was drawn, different parts of the tree are focused on to express different parts of the client’s life. Footnote 7 can be used to explore how Ncube-Mlilo and Denborough recommend using each part of the tree to explore areas of well-being or concerns. In the describing of the tree, focus is placed on positive strengths and support in making this tree strong and vibrant. However, once that is done, the next area to look at are storms-- problems that threaten the tree. Storms may be 7Developed by Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo and David Denborough originally for HIV patients in South Africa. More can be found on their work at https://dulwichcentre.com.au/the-tree-of-life/. 21

22. physical, psychoemotional, social, spiritual, economic, legal, and more. Storms of the past may be explored with what was done to weather those storms. Present and potential future storms may be looked at as well. A key aspect of this method is to guide the client toward seeing problems as being external to him/herself, as opposed to being internal, and also see them as common ex- periences of people generally. The method can be done one-on-one with a counselor, or it may be done with a facilitator in the group. In sharing in the group, the desire is to not only see problems as external, but also tha such problems are common for people in general. Various coping mechanisms may be discussed in the group setting. This method is tied very much to narrative therapy, with the goal of exploring ways to reframe or revisualize one’s life or life story. Since we have not yet used this at Bukal Life Care, we will leave this one, rec- ommending further exploration from other sources (starting with the one refer- enced in Footnote 7). Conclusions While art therapy can have many purposes, we are here focusing on the power of art to put hard-to-express thoughts and feelings into a physical form; and this form can, in turn, drive thoughtful communication between the artist and the counselor or support group. This creative act is not unique to art (drawings and sculpture.) The table below shows a number of creative activities. We don’t necessarily think of dreams as a creative activity, but they are ---- the activity of the uncon- scious mind. A case may be based on something outside of the writer, but the activity transforms an external event into a creative telling of the event with re- flection. The same can be said of narrative. It does not matter if the story is based on reality or fantasy… it is a creative activity. It certainly may be presumptive to assume that any process that goes through the five steps is necessarily a positive thing. Every step can be done in a way that undermines honesty and interaction based on good will and good faith. The process, however, does have the potential at least of healing--- not just for the counselee, but the broader group. 22

23. Dream Art Case Narrative Reflective Creation Client Has Dream Client Creates Work of Art Client Writes a Case Client Develops a Story Safe Presentation Client Shares Dream Client Presents Art Client Presents a Case Client Tells the Story Self- Interpretation Client Interprets Dream Client Explains the Art Meaning Client Interprets the Case Client Interprets the Story Loving Interaction Client interacts with others re- garding dream Client would dis- cuss art with others Client interacts with group on case Client dis- cusses story with others Creative Reflection Client reflects on insights Client reflects on insights Client reflects on insights Client reflects on insight Group Theological Reflection8 8 Robert and Celia Munson. Dynamics in Pastoral Care: Enhancing Transformative Soul Care (Baguio City, Philippines, Bukal Life Care, 2021), 33-34. 23

24. THEOLOGICAL INTEGRATION By Jezza C. Pingo 1. How do you understand persons as creatures of God or how do you understand persons in relationship with ultimate reality as defined in your faith tradition? God declared his creation including human being very good- everything is in the way God intended it to be in the beginning. It is good in its individual parts, and it is good as a whole, as an integrated system. The purpose of God was to be glorified by his creation. God is most glorified when his creation works like it was designed to work. This idea is epitomized by the Old Testament idea of shalom. (Whelchel, 2015) The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight…Shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.… The full flourishing of human life in all aspects, as God intended it to be. Plantinga, C. (1996) There is wholeness and peace. There is wholeness/peace in our relationship with God, with oneself, with each other and with creation. God’s original design for human being is wholeness or shalom/peace. He made us in His own image and likeness. There is purity of human being’s morals and will in the beginning. God’s Holiness and righteousness was reflected in us. But sin brought “Brokenness”! Sin disrupts shalom! Human’s Relationship with God, with each other and with creation was broken just as the Bible says in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. As a result of sin, our identity based in God’s image is also broken. The only way wholeness can be restored is through our relationship with Jesus who himself is the prince of peace. All human beings also have a vacuum in their hearts that only God can fill in. Human beings are naturally in need of God or a higher being to govern them. Augustine famously said, “Our heart is restless until it rests in you [God].” My faith tradition believes that human beings were created in God’s image and that they are made to worship God and to enjoy a relationship of fellowship with him. Westminster Shorter Catechism (The Proofs from the Scripture, 24

25. 1648) answers the question “What is the chief end of man?” “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever” The restoration of this “Shalom” is the very message of the Gospel. ‘Flourishing’ is a biological, even ecological word, which evokes images of plants, gardens or whole ecosystems growing in a healthy manner. My faith tradition believes in a wholistic, biblical understanding of God’s intention for human beings, both as individuals, and as people embedded in communities. That is: far from simply surviving, or just experiencing salvation on a spiritual level, God intends, it is argued, for human beings to thrive in all dimensions of life, both as individuals and in their social environments glorifying God and enjoying Him, His work and His Character. 2. How do you critically reflect upon your own religious/spiritual heritage and current beliefs/theological practice in relationship to CPSP-Philippines culture and mission? I grew up in an independent faith community for 27 years where the concept that people are more important than institution is not so much significant. Ministry result and product is given more importance than the people. Accountability with each other is not practiced. Journeying with others in their spiritual journey is a strange concept in contrast to what CPSP believe; We should make a space for one another and stand ready to midwife one another in our respective spiritual journeys. When I took my CPE, this was honestly a culture shock for me but it also captured my heart at the same time. The covenant of mutual accountability found at the heart of the CPSP community is an important factor in my growth as a pastoral caregiver. I learned to be more compassionate to others and prioritize relationships more than product or result. This growth in my relationships is more encouraged because of the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary team or diverse peers. In my CPE Journey, I learned to cultivate relationships with grace even with people of different faith and culture. At present, I am with another faith community whose mission is to be a place where broken people find help, healing and hope, find their God given purpose and become more passionate to honor God with their lived talents and serve people by going out to fulfill the great commission. I believe that it is important to be part of a community where relationship, calling and passion is nurtured. We believe that the great commission is not just sharing the Gospel but also 25

26. acting for love of neighbor (including social action to address conditions of life which prevent human beings from flourishing) are thus all conceived as aspects of the task of the Christian community which is most similar to the CPSP advantage that people always come first. CPSP believes that life is best lived by grace and the CPSP community places a premium on the significance of relationships between its members. (Clinical Pastoral Education/Training Handbook, 2019). 3. How do you think theoretically, based on your faith tradition, about interpersonal relationships, human suffering and relationships with the transcendent or ultimate reality? God is God beyond human comprehension. God’s intention is always pure. His action is always based on His character – specially His Holiness that sums up and binds all His other attributes. God’s intentions are perfectly pure. He never does anything wrong. He never causes something to happen that isn’t right. He is flawless, fully righteous, absolutely, constantly and infinitely holy. This is the otherness of God. Human suffering, when we trace back in the book of Genesis started when man decided to pursue what God did not intend him to be. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve flourish in a state of wellbeing with God. Human’s relationships with God, with self, with one another and with creation is in the state of shalom (harmony and peace). But when sin enters this world, brokenness and corruption become the new normal. In their sin, Adam and Eve hide from God and ever after, humanity’s relationship with God is broken as we too hide in the shadow of our sin. Whereas once these new humans walked the garden naked and unashamed, now sin and shame destroys their identity and they cover themselves with fig leaves. They felt something that they never flet before- the shame, fear and guilt. They blame one another for their sinful choices and from that point, our relationships with one another are filled with tension and hate. We suffer in our relationships with other human beings- there is so much hate, rebellion, rape, injustice in the world. The brokenness that entered the world with sin even extends to Adam and Eve’s relationship with creation; cast out of the Garden of Eden, they are made ever after to toil on this earth. Humanity’s relationships with God , self, others, and creation are never again the way they were meant to be. The world has become a place of brokenness that is why we suffer from calamities like strong 26

27. typhoons, floods, earthquakes here and there, and diseases from animals such the COVID-19 virus. Human is continually experiencing physical, personal, social brokenness and suffering which is evidenced by poverty, war, abuse, sickness, etc. Thatcher (2011) explains that the human experience in between -ends of creation and new creation, however, is not one of flourishing; more often than not a profound contradiction (brokenness and languish) of this divine intention- In the shadow of the fall, human life and society been marred by manifold forms of suffering, brokenness, violence, and injustice, as well as a lack of relationship to God. This situation is unacceptable to God, who, in Jesus Christ and the Spirit comes to redeem and restore that which is fractured and fallen; to save that which is lost and languishing under the effects of human sin. Revelation 21:4 says that restoration is coming, a time when He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Moreover Thatcher (2011) argued that God’s intention, remains that human beings and all creation ought to flourish again in His presence. While creation still groans, God Himself is presently outworking the resurrection, by the Spirit, toward this final goal of creation’s liberation from death and decay, and ‘the glorious freedom’ which will be experienced by the children of God (Rom 8:19- 20). Plantinga (1996) writes, “The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight, is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than peace of mind or a cease- fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing wholeness, and delight––a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed… shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be. In light of the principles stated, how can I respond in the idea of suffering? I realized that one must embrace and fully realize brokenness so he/she can deeply long for the shalom or wholeness that only God can offer. When one suffers, creating a supportive space for suffering matters- by allowing why questions, anger, and complaints to surface. I believe suffering is a place where we grapple and wrestle with our own view of God and at the end give 27

28. up and accept that we are mere mortals who need God. Sufferings after all will bring us closer to the one who held every human heart. The book of Psalm describes God’s involvement in human suffering. He is close to the brokenhearted in Psalm 34 and He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds in Psalm 147: 3. God is our healer but one must recognize that he/she is broken. 4. What theologians, teachers and or spiritual resources inform your theoretical stance? Since I am basically working with children and youth in crisis locally, I read by Dr. Phyllis Kilbourn- One of the most respected pioneers of the children in crisis movement. She is a pioneer leader in ministry among children at risk and children in crisis. While a missiomissionary among post-war traumatized children in Liberia and Kenya with WEC International, Phyllis was providing trauma and crisis care (in the 1980s), before trauma care was well known. She has written and edited many books including: Children in Crisis, Healing the Children of War, Street Children, Sexually Exploited Children, Healing for Hurting Hearts, and The Girl Child. Believing that the local church’s participation in helping suffering children around the world was the answer to their overwhelming need, Phyllis, in 2004 founded Crisis Care Training International (CCTI) that focused on equipping the local and international church and parachurch organizations on trauma and crisis care. (https://crisiscaretraining.org/about-crisis-care-training/) I went through the basic training of CCTI Module 1; Offering Healing and Hope for Children in Crisis which was authored by her. Her view of God, how she understands the suffering of children in crisis and the role of the church in the life of suffering children inspires and influences me the most in my crisis care ministry with children. On suffering children, she quoted “When children live in traumatic situations, their hope is replaced by despair. Their infectious giggles and carefree spirits are replaced with fear, mistrust, and grief. They carry burdens and responsibilities far too heavy for a child to bear. They experience an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, and they see no opportunity to develop their God-given potential.” On the role of the church, she made clear that there must be a pleading on the part of God’s people all over the world that the raping and killing of these children be stopped. If our hearts do not cry out for mercy upon them, and if 28

29. our hearts are not burdened by the reality of their lives, then we are a people whose hearts have grown stony and cold. It is time to bend the knee and humbly ask the Lord to take out the old stony heart and create in us a new heart of love. (Ezekiel 36:26, Psalm 51:10) On God in the suffering of children, she said “Our heavenly Father fully understands the pain and fear of the world’s suffering children, whatever difficult circumstances they are in. His deepest desire is to stir us, His people, to reach out with God-given compassion toward them-the youngest members of our worldwide family. We have the responsibility to bring the message of God’s redeeming love, healing, and hope. In Isaiah 61 :1-4 the prophet foretells Jesus’ healing ministry of restoring broken lives and bringing renewal. Isaiah’s description of Jesus’ ministry beautifully portrays God’s desire to have the childhood of countless children in the world restored to their original design. Pray that through the ashes and ruins, God will raise up “oaks of righteousness” that will restore the places long devastated, and that His splendor will bring renewal to the hollowed-out lives of children in crisis around the world. There are many rejected and unloved children in this world who need to know of God’s desire to be their Father. They will not hear this message from their parents. They need to hear it from those who have experienced the heart of the Father for themselves. Mark 10:13 says, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them .... “ May it also be said of our generation at the end of the age, that they brought the children to Jesus. Another book by Phylis Kilbourne “Healing for Hurting Hearts” (2013) also contributes a lot in my theological stance when it comes to counseling children and youth in crisis. This book is a practical guide for caregivers in their journey with children in crisis. Her teaching in Holistic care is commendable. She quoted in her book “We must remember that, like all human beings, children are made up of body, mind and spirit. All of their experiences affect them physically, socially, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Children and youth in crisis suffer significant spiritual harm—it distorts the way they view themselves, others and God. The Book “Courage for Caregivers” by Marjorie J. Thompson inspired by Henri J.M Nouwen’s Journey also influences my theological stance specially on soul care and self-care. This book is a practical guide, resource and a tool that moves smoothly from individual encouragement to group and congregational 29

30. ministry to develop support for the universal experience of caregiving. Marjorie Thompson provided realistic spiritual practices for caregivers such as honest lament, reframing, holy listening, simple prayers, affirmations, blessings and practicing self-compassion. She quoted in chapter 4 of her book that “All our suffering, yearning, sacrifice and service; all our joy, gratitude and growth toward maturity- it is all encompassed by God’s love. Love is the energy and motivation for all care. As we take time to receive that love deeply in our hearts, we have to give it away”. August of 2023 when I wrote a book critique on The Art of Pastoral Care by Robert and Celia Munson (2016). After reading chapter 3 of the book, I wrote in my paper, “Section 3 challenged me more to strengthen my theology but openly accept people regardless of their faith. Anyway, isn’t it that God is greater than anyone and anything? In the Book of Job chapter 38-42 God gave a visual tour on God’s greatness and omnipotence over all the universes- who can understand the complexity of human and whole universe but only the Creator? Who can draw people to Him? Who can change hearts? Isn’t it that the only true God- the God of the Bible rules every human heart and will meet them in anyway and anytime he wants? But this does not mean that I can forsake the great commission but rather I’d use non-judgmental faith to introduce others to Christ and allowing God to do His work of Salvation in the hearts of the people.” 5. How do you understand the interplay between your cultural context and theological/spiritual perspective formation or development as it is understood in your faith tradition, how spiritual care is offered in a multicultural, multifaith environment? The process of integrated pastoral care in a diversified environment is always a challenge. However, the common denominator is becoming deeply human. Listening, curiosity and awe are necessary starting places in spiritual care. In my encounters in the hospital and community, I never met two people with exactly the same culture, faith, and perspective. These instances challenged me to explore the person’s life while bracketing my own emotion, personal theological views and assumptions. Listening and engaging into dialogue with others is like unpacking gifts boxes 30

31. of different sizes and shapes. You never know what is inside unless you remove each layer and ribbons that envelopes the inner man. Benner (2011) realized that “Each and every person is a world of complexity and beauty, and I only glimpse a small part of their story at any particular moment; only God knows the full story of their unfolding and becoming. When I ‘care’ for another person, I am but a momentary partner - maybe only a witness - to the ‘work’ of God in that person’s life. This ‘work’ is sacred, and if I enter ‘wearing the boots’ of my profession/agency/theology I may, without noticing, step on tiny shoots of new life.” I also realized that as a pastoral care giver, I should be carrying with me different kinds of resources and tools for me to be able to provide the needed care. It is like carrying a tool box with me. Inside of the tool box are tools and resources such as myself, my theology, my experiences, my view of God, the scripture, my culture, my skills, resource people, my knowledge in different areas and many more. I could imagine opening my toolbox and look for the right tools to use as I provide pastoral care to different people. With this, I am able to provide holistic care that touches the physical, socio- emotional, spiritual and mental aspect. REFERENCES About Crisis Care Training International ( CCTI ). (2012, January 4). Crisis Care Training International. https://crisiscaretraining.org/about-crisis- care-training/ Adrian Thatcher, ‘Theology, Happiness, and Public Policy’, in Theology and Human Flourishing: Essays in Honor of Timothy J. Gorringe, ed. Mike Higton, Christopher Rowland, and Jeremy Law (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 20 Benner, D. G. (2011). Soulful spirituality : becoming fully alive and deeply human. Brazos Press. Clinical Pastoral Education/Training Handbook. (2019). Bukal Life Care. 31

32. Kilbourn, P. (2013). Healing for Hurting Hearts. CLC Publications. Munson, R., Mnson, C. (2016). The Art of Pastoral Care . Bukal Life Publishing. Plantinga, C. (1996). Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. The proofs from the scripture (1648). https://prts.edu/wp-content/uploads /2013/09/ Shorter_Catechism.pdf Thompson, M. J. (2022). Courage for Caregivers. InterVarsity Press Whelchel, H. (2015, May 25). Why Does It Matter That God Called Creation “Very Good”? Tifwe.org. https://tifwe.org/why-does-it-matter-that-god- called-creation-very-good/ 32

33. THE PERVADING PRESENCE OF DECEIT AND LIES IN OUR DAILY HUMAN LIVING Rev. Dr. Calixto Castro Sodoy, D. Min. Graduation message delivered during the Community Based CPE Training program at the Convention Baptist Bible College, Bakyas Campus, Bacolod City, Philip- pines, January 29,2024. We all live in deceit and lies. These are embedded in us for being human. We could not eradicate them but we can manage them well. Our task is to pray for being creatively able to manage them that will not disrupt totally our living in God`s created world. Yes, let us have the courage to accept our susceptibility in deceitful living assured by God`s love and sustaining grace that will stay in us forever. I will present two streams of thought in trying to find solutions to this perennial phenomenon. One is the medical and behavioral sciences model and the other is the religious theological treatment modality in doing pastoral care and coun- seling services. First, is the medical and behavioral sciences treatment modality. The correct way of thinking is adhere to the medical diagnosis that deceit and lies are symptoms instead of considering them as disease itself which the uninformed theology branded this phenomenon as committing sin. A symptom is a signal of the human body that there is something physically wrong. Therefore, it gives a signal or warning that treatment is needed. A symptom serving as messen- ger is good news for a treatment protocol. Branding it as “sin” will ignore the medical and behavioral sciences treatment that is urgently needed. It is outra- geously a mistake to neglect a timely medical and psychological treatment which is tantamount to committing a serious legal crime. A church who re- 33

34. fuses to defunct the outmoded faith belief system can be sued and tried as committing a criminal offence. A glaring example of applying uninformed theology in regarding suicide as committing “sin” per se, is to disregard the body of knowledge affirmed by medical and behavioral sciences that suicide is coming from feeling sick of depression. So that in previous years the Roman Catholic Church refused burying the suicide victim in their Cemetery. This stance must have been changed to adhere to the medical diagnosis that such drastic act is coming from a feeling ill of depression. Let us move on to the religious theological treatment modality. I will be apply- ing the theological concept of grace the as the overall theological framework of this treatment protocol. Presently, I have two homeless families with small chil- dren with whom I have chosen to be recipients of my mission work in the Philippines. They have no house and lot or land of their own. One family have three children and the other family have six children. These two families are with me for the last twenty years. The mission goals are biblically based. That is to provide shelter, food, clothing and education preferably higher education. All these human needs are provided for them. In turn, the two families are serving as my household helpers. One is doing the custodian house care maintenance. The other family mainly the wife is serving as my housekeeper. My commitment to these two families is let them stay in my house as my household help for as long as I live. They have the freedom to stay with me or leave me voluntarily. There were situations when accepting additional benefits create discomfort on their part and there were instances when additional ben- efits were badly needed but they prefer to live with unmet needs to keep their self- worth and dignity intact or experience the sense of shame. My pastoral care posture is to provide “unlimited grace” even though it might provide finan- cial hardship on my part. This means that the goodness of God cannot be re- sisted because God will continue providing them abundant blessings. I also wanted these two families to experience the faith belief of “irresistible grace” as a reality in our faith journey. God be praised for sustaining the abundant blessings that are new every morning that never ceases! Let us continue inquiring on these issue of living in deceit and lies. If deceit and lies are symptoms and not a diseased, the question can be asked: What is the illness that creates these symptoms? The main illness is our human tendency to reject God’s ownership of our lives. God is the sole owner of our lives in life and in death. God sent Jesus Christ to redeem as 34

35. back to God because we disowned our “birth right” as a permanent inheritance which was given when the world was created. But through Jesus Christ death on the cross God redeemed us back so that we will continue to be together but we have the propensity to disowned (running away)from him. God’s noblest purpose is to continue caring and loving us forever. The biblical narrative of the Prodigal son is a stark example of “disowning” the father so that the son made himself the owner of his own life.. The act of owning oneself was a dis- aster because deceit and lies predominantly present with the prodigal son left alone to fend for himself. Disowning God’s ownership of us is our common de- cease. God’s ownership of us is a free gift so that we are safe in God’s eternal presence forever. We can all be practicing a life of deceit and lies if we follow John Wesley (Methodist teachings) through Arminius the proponent of the preeminence of exercising self-will freedom of conscience away from God. The Reformed the- ology which John Calvin proposed (Presbyterian) believe that God is the owner of our lives (living or dead). Once you disowned the ownership of God in your living and dying, automatically you are practicing deceit and lies. Why? Because Calvin's theology teaches us that through the pouring of Jesus Christ blood on the cross God becomes the owner of our human lives .But Arminius decided that self-will and freedom to exercise good conscience is just as im- portant attributes of being a human being. That is also true and important in living our lives but once you do that you relinquish the ownership of God of your life. And that is the beginning of practicing deceit and lies. Between Calvin (Presbyterians)and John Wesley(Methodist), who of the two can go to heaven to be with God? It is possible that Wesley may lose his place in heaven with God because he preferred to exercise the freedom of human con- science and free will. So be a Methodist and continue risking your place in heaven with God’s eternal presence forever! Questions: 1. If God owns our lives, can we still exercise the freedom of good conscience and freewill? Yes, you can under the rubric of Godly living. The human ele- ments of greed, selfishness, exploitations and all forms of human vices will have no more place in your life. 35

36. 2. What are the results of exercising freedom of good conscience if we choose to disowned God’s ownership of our lives? The answer is obvious. You will be susceptible to all forms of human greed. vices and exploitations. 3. Is God’s ownership of us benevolent or it is exploitative and abusive? God’s noblest purpose is to continue caring and loving us. The ownership of God is devoid of self-interest and or exploitations for his own good. 4. If I choose to be “rebellious” of God’s ownership of my life, can I still claim back my place to be with God? Yes, God’s ownership of your life is irrevoca- ble! 36

37. CPSP-Philippines First Plenary Gathering This event was held at Sitio Lucia Garden Resort in Santa Maria, Bulacan on June 8-9, 2025. It is meant to, in part, celebrate two anniversaries. These were the 100th anniversary of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) worldwide, and the 60th anniversary of CPE in the Philippines. We had 33 participants representing 6 training centers. Dr. Paul Javines of Brokenshire Hospital (Davao City) and Dr. Doug Dickens of CPSP and Gard- ner-Webb University were guest speaker. Dr. Robert Munson of CPSP-Philip- pines also shared a history of the Clinical Pastoral Movement at the event. The Bukal Life Care Group, with the Guest Speakers 37

38. Presentation of Certificate Recipients All Participants in the CPSP-Philippines First Plenary Gathering 2025 38

39. Book Review ANTON T. BOISEN (1876-1965) COOPERATIVE INQUIRY: AMID THE COMPLEX ENTANGLEMENTS OF ACTUAL LIFE, 2nd Edition BOISENESQUE COMMENTARY By Robert Charles Powell Reviewed by Robert Munson, ThD Robert Charles Powell’s book, “Anton T. Boisen (1876-1965) Cooperative Inquiry: Amid The Complex Entangements of Actual Life, 2nd edition” is the 3rd of an eventual 7 book series on Anton Boisen, considered to be the “father” of the clinical pastoral movement, and CPE (clinical pastoral education). This book shares similarities with the first two of the series. For one, it is a series of essays or articles written by Powell, related to the life of Boisen or the movement he founded. Second, although he is a medical doctor, Powell’s specialization as a historian and researcher shines through with thorough sourcing and prodigious endnotes. Unlike many books, ignoring the endnotes would be missing some of the most interest parts of the book. On the other hand, Cooperative Inquiry differs considerably in that it is less about the life of Anton Boisen and more a look at how his legacy is lived out in the membership of the clinical pastoral movement. Powell is critical of a number of trends he has seen in the movement and compares its modern condition disfavorably with the more innovative start, particularly 1925-1930, by Boisen and others--- with special credit to Helen Florence Dunbar. Reading the book, I think it is understandable if one might wonder is Powell is a Primitivist, or one who has made the early writings and practices of Boisen and others canon for the movement. Personally, I don’t believe this to be his perspective. I believe he is asking questions, somewhat as on outsider to the movement of whether the torchbearers of the the clinical pastoral movement have allowed the flame lit by Boisen, Dunbar, and others to dim. Or, perhaps, there is a new flame lit giving light from new innovations and fads that lacks the early insights and uniqueness. This curiosity shows itself in eight broad 39

40. questions: “Whatever happened to pastoral social work? to religious diagnosis? to preventive pastoral care? to maintenance, or everyday, pastoral care? to the theology of pastoral care – especially the theology of everyday life? Whatever happened to religious rituals and symbolism? to religious research? to the development of a critical tradition within CPE? “ A challenge that I found as a reader, one that I feel others are likely to share, is the limited explanation of the context of various essays. I believe a bit of a roadmap of sorts would help greatly. The essays cover almost a 40 year period. The first essay was presented in 1975 to the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). At that time, ACPE was an organization first established in 1967 that sought to join two organizations into one, and in so doing combine to traditions. However, by 1975 there was a growing belief that many of the insights from the tradition of Boisen and Dunbar have been set aside with lip service alone to their importance to the movement. The second essay is written not long after the founding of the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP) as an organization seeking to restore this early tradition to prominence. Later essays focus on CPSP, and its covenant, in examining its success or failure in living up to its ideals in a changing ministerial landscape. Since the book is published by CPSP Press, it is not unreasonable to think that the majority of readers would be able to interpret the work within the history of the movement. However, for outsiders, or those newer to the movement (of whom I might include myself), some guidance would be of benefit. Overall, this book is a fine continuation of Powell’s series on Anton Boisen and his impact on the clinical pastoral movement. Addendum: As noted, this is a continuation of a series published by CPSP Press. The seven volume set, when complete, is as follows: Volume One: Clinical Pastoral Training, Education, and Transformation The First Fifty Years of Learning through Supervised Encounter with “Living Human Documents” (1925-1975)" • 40

41. • Volume Two: "Anton T. Boisen (1876-1965): Breaking an Opening in the Wall Between Religion and Medicine" 41

42. • Volume Three: "Anton T. Boisen (1876-1965): Cooperative Inquiry Amid the Complex Entanglements of Actual Life" • Volumes Four and Five: Not yet published, but are also on the life and work of Anton T. Boisen. • Volumes Six and Seven: Not yet published, but are on the life and work of Helen Flanders Dunbar 42

43. Book Review CAVE WALKER: A PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH TO PASTORAL CARE By Francine L. Hernandez Reviewed by Celia P. Munson, M.Div., DPS “Cave Walker” may seem a strange title for a book on pastoral care. The title draws from the analogy of Plato regarding the man who is chained in a cave facing a wall who only sees shadows that play on the surface in front of him. Plato suggests that person (the “cave dweller”) would assume these shadows are reality. Hernandez takes this illustration to show a pastoral care provider as one who walks unfettered in the cave with the one chained to help not only to be liberated, but also to see the world as it is--- not merely a shadow of it- self. While this was her main reason for using the term, she also noted that many pastors she knew were also drawn to the term through the story of Elijah in the cave on Mount Horeb (II Kings 19). In that story, it is God who is in the cave with Elijah providing comfort and hopeful counsel as the “cave walker” to the prophet who was reduced through fear to being the cave dweller. Perhaps the link of the term to both philosophy and religion itself informs us that this book embraces a form of ministry that integrates ministering to the spirit and the mind. For Hernandez, the ideal “cave walker” does not identify as a curer, or as an expert, but as an informed companion. This companion does not walk ahead of the care receiver, or behind, but alongside. Such a person is a diligent reader of the “cave dweller.” The “cave walker” must listen intently to the sto- ries, the hurts, the hopes, the fears of the other. She must use herself as part of the healing process understanding the importance of the ministries of pres- ence and relationship in the healing journey. Hernandez follows the pattern established by Anton T. Boisen, the fonder of the Clinical Pastoral Movement. Boisen intentionally sought to integrate the 43

44. psychodynamic work of people such as Sigmund Freud and Harry Stack Sulli- van, with theology. Boisen saw religious faith as a potential source of strength or healing, as well a a potential source of personal or relational harm. Robert Dykstra in his book “Images of Pastoral Care” gives several metaphors to describe the complex role of a pastoral care provider. Among these are “Wounded Healer,” “Hopeful Gardner,” “Intimate Stranger,” “Circus Clown,” and “Wise Fool.” This reviewer believes that “Cave Walker” could join some of these other metaphors for informing this calling. This reviewer strongly recommends that CPE trainees and pastoral care providers read this book. The book itself is short--- approximately 70 pages--- and much of it includes stories of the “cave dwellers” Francine Hernandez have encountered through her ministry. In these stories, she has shown her- self as the “cave walker” reflecting on her own personal experiences to walk with them with empathy. As such, the book could be described as an “easy read.” Easy, however, does not suggest simplistic or trivial. It is in the stories where some of the most challenging aspects of pastoral care are illustrated. The book describes a dynamic process that mirrors St. Paul’s word to the Church of Corinth where he speaks of “The Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all Comfort, who comforts in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we orselves are comforted by God.” -II Corinthians 1:3b-4. 44

45. Bukal Life Care Books The Art of Pastoral Care, by Robert and Celia Munson is an introductory look at Pastoral Care seeking an integrationist view of pastoral care and counseling. It seeks to draw from theological and historical roots of pastoral care and brings in aspects of psycholog- ical and sociological insights to give a fuller insight to this Christian ministry. The book is written primarily for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) groups or for seminary “Intro to PC&C” courses. It is presently being used in sev- eral training centers and semi- naries for this purpose. 45

46. Dynamics in Pastoral Care: Enhancing Transformative Soul Care, by Robert and Celia Munson is intended to serve as a follow-on to The Art of Pastoral Care. The book looks at aspects of pas- toral counseling with special emphasis on dynamic pro- cesses associated with train- ing, supervision, relation- ships, life stages, faith devel- opment, and theological re- flection. The book was primarily writ- ten for Clinical Pastoral Edu- cation (CPE) groups espe- cially for units 2, 3, or 4. However, others may find it of value, especially as it seeks to develop an under- standing of clinical pastoral care from pastoral theologi- cal principles. 46

47. Brief History of Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center Bukal Life Care formally came to be in late 2009 in response to Tropical Storm Ondoy that struck Central Luzon, and Typhoon Pepeng that immediately fol- lowed in Northern Luzon. We started out doing helps ministries such as medi- cal missions, but incorporating disaster response counseling. Our initial team was Robert and Celia Munson, Joey and Gracia Mercedes, and Angie Gomez. As we moved into 2010 we joined together with Shepherd's Oikos, a ministry that developed out of the 2009 CPE program at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. Joel Aguirre headed that and Celia Munson was a member of that team. Shepherd's Oikos focused on training churches and ministers in various aspects of pastoral counseling. In April of 2010. the name “Shepherd's Oikos” retired as the two groups joined to become “Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center.” We moved away from doing Medical Missions. Since then our focus has been: Serving as a training center for Clinical Pastoral Education/Training Disaster response and chaplaincy Individual and group pastoral counseling Training seminars on various aspects of pastoral care and ministry Missionary member care • • • • • We were incorporated in 2010 and we had our “Grand Opening” event at West Baguio Baptist Church (Baguio City) in October 2010. In 2011 we formally partnered with the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP) in the United States becoming the first training center in the Philippines tied to CPSP. In 2012, CPSP-Philippines was incorporated with Bukal Life Care being the first training center. Now there are eight such training centers.. In 2016, Celia Munson and Paul Tabon, both part of Bukal Life Care at that time, become two of the first four members of CPSP-Philippines to be certified “Diplomate in Pastoral Supervision.” Since then, three more trainees of Bukal have earned this certification: Violeta Canoy, Merlita Montecastro, and Renato Eustaquio. 47

48. Bukal Life Care has continued to train in partnership with Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary and CPSP-Philippines. In these years we have had over 280 CPE trainees and apprroximately 100 CPO trainees, coming to a little over 170,000 “man-hours” of training and practical ministry. We hold Community-based Intensive CPE and Extended CPE. We also hold shorter form CPO (Clinical Pastoral Orientation) trainings, as well as single topic seminars when asked. 48

49. Contributors Salvador Delmundo Jr. Salvador, or Chaplain SDM (as staff refers to him), has been with the Men- ninger Clinic in Houston, TX (USA) since 2005. He presently is the Director of Chaplaincy Services. He is an Advanced Practiced Board Certified Chaplain (APBCC). He earned his Master of Divinty from Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary and completed a clinical pastoral education residency at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. He is a recipient of a Pillar Award, The Clinic’s highest honor for employees who demonstrate Men- ninger’s values of excellence, teamwork, hope, integrity and caring. Calixto Sodoy Calixto (Cal) is part of the teaching faculty of the Graduate Program at Central Philippine University. He serves as a supervisor of the Clinical Pastoral Edca- tion program at CPU. He received his Bachelor of Theology and Master of Di- vinity degrees from Siliman Univeristy. He is certified as a Diplomate in Pas- toral Supervision (DPS) through CPSP-Philippines. Carmel Villar Carmel Burila Villar serves as Stewardship and Resource Development Officer at Union Theological Seminary. Before her engagement at UTS, she served as writer-producer at Far East Broadcasting Co., and translator-editor at Philip- pine Bible Society. Her work at PBS includes translation of Children Bible and Full-Life Study Bible into Cebuano and as contributor in The Bible: A Glimpse at Every Book. She also served as writer-editor of GoandTell Publication in its Value Education textbooks. She is a Board Certified Clinical Chaplain (BCCC) with CPSP-Philippines. Celia P. Munson 49

50. Celia a co-founder of Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center. She is a Diplo- mate in Pastoral Supervision with CPSP-Philippines, and Training Supervisor. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007. She has served as a missionary in Baguio since 2004. She has three children and is married to the next person listed on this page. Robert H. Munson Robert is the Administrator and co-founder of Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center. He serves as an Associate Professor of Missions at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, and also at Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Semi- nary. He earned his Doctor of Theology degree from the latter school in 2012. He has served as a missionary in the Philippines since 2004. He is married to Celia and has three children. Jezza C. Pingo Jezza is a mother and a wife. God called her to equip the people of God for the ministry to children. She is leading the PAG-ASA PROJECT an advocacy project for children and youth in crisis, in Baguio City, Philippines and sur- rounding regions. She believes in the church's call to a holistic ministry to chil- dren and youth. She is also a Board Certified Clinical Chaplain (BCCC) with CPSP-Philippines and serves as a Supervisor-in-Training with Bukal Life Care. 50