News Report on Book Launch

A book on how principles of psychology can be applied to the ministry of Christian churches within the African context has been launched in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

“Indications show that Christianity is vibrant in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and pastoral challenges are also many being that the history of Christianity in most parts of the African continent is relatively short,” author of the book, Rev. Prof. Sahaya Selvam has noted.

“More scientific approaches are needed to understand and respond to these pastoral situations,” Fr. Selvam has further explained what motivated him to write the book that focuses on Africa.

“Africa has specific issues like anomalous experiences such as hearing voices or possession like behavior hence the need to apply psychological principles in the African context,” the Salesian of Don Bosco missionary said Thursday, August 29 during the book launch, referring to cultural diversities that characterize human societies.

Titled Pastoral Psychology for Africa, the book has also been published, according to the author, to fill a research gap in Africa.

“There are a lot of books already in the English-speaking world which are not very popular in Africa,” Indian-born Fr. Selvam said and explained, “When applying psychological theories to find solutions and shade light on pastoral issues, they have to be context specific this is why this book focuses on Africa.”

Asked to justify his authority about psychological traits in Africa as to author a book, Fr. Selvam told ACI Africa, “I have been in Africa since 1992, I have heard stories and I have worked with different groups of people.”

“My personal experiences inspired me to ask how religion influences people’s thinking, feeling and behavior and therefore through my studies I wanted to find how to help deal with such,” the Associate Professor at Nairobi’s Tangaza University College, the venue of the book launch, explained.

The thirty-chapter book, which has taken an ecumenical approach, is divided into five parts: psychology and pastoral care, the person of the pastoral practitioner, life-long development, anomalous and religious experiences, and finally groups and individuals.

The guest speaker during the launch, Pastor Kyama Mugambi of Mavuno Church, one of the Protestant churches in Kenya, expressed appreciation for the book saying, “This book has a lot of value for any one in pastoral care irrespective of denomination and the kind of Spirituality in it relates to Africa.”

Explaining how protestant Churches could relate to the book, Pastor Mugambi narrated that there is no difference on how pastors care for their sheep.

“Pastoral care is pastoral care and this means caring for sheep as Christians.” The Pastor said and added, “Pastoral care and religious experiences span across traditions.”

He (Pastor Mugambi) urged people from all denominations whether clerics or lay to value the book saying, “ As a non- Catholic, I can relate that (book) because the principles that are used are timeless for care of God’s people,” he added,  “I have no hesitation recommending the book to other people who are interested in the same.”

Published by the Paulines Africa, the book is retailed at Ksh. 900 (US$9).