Critical Review of Carl Rogers' Concept of Self : Its Maladaptation to Korean Pastoral Counseling

In modern pastoral care and counseling history, the concept of self and its actualization plays an important role. Holifield, in his book History of Pastoral Care in America, examines the relationship between theology, psychology, and socio-economic patterns that have shaped the pastoral care identity from the 17th century through the 1960's in the West. He traces how the understanding of pastoral care is expressed differently by different cultures. In this historical research, the main focus was how the concept of selfhood has evolved in American religion through four centuries. Holifield showed that there are important changes include "the movement from an ideal of other-worldly salvation to an implicit ethic of self-realization in American Protestantism."1' Within the hierarchical system of the 17th century, the concept of self was suspected and subsequently denied. This period interpreted sin in a hierarchical assumption. The ideal of pastoral care was self denial for the sake of salvation. During the 18th century, there was an exaltation of self-love. The ideal of pastoral care was self-mastery. As society moved away from agriculture, urban culture dictated the mode and morals of pastoral activity. The 19th century exemplified a time of self-culture. The concept of self changed from self-mastery to self-realization, and finally to the realization of self. Since then, pastoral care and counseling have been preoccupied with self-realization.