Remembering the Future, Imagining the Past: Story, Ritual, and the Human Brain

Rating:
Summary: Story in Ritual, Pastoral Care, and the Brain
Review: David Hogue sets out an ambitious goal for Remembering the Future, Imagining the Past. He strives to integrate neuroscience, ritual studies, and pastoral theology in a 200-page text.

The first half of the text outlines the roles of imagination, memory, and story in the human brain and human living. The second half of the text then expands upon these concepts and applies them to ritual leadership, pastoral counseling, and spiritual disciplines.

I found Hogue to be moderately successful in his goal. In particular, the scientific material on the brain was not always well integrated into the text as a whole. It was as if Hogue had two starting points, ministry and neuroscience. While he tried to make the two meet in the middle, Hogue didn't quite make it.

The connections between ritual and pastoral care were much stronger (Hogue's own area of expertise is pastoral theology). This work, alone, makes the book worth reading.

Overall, I did find many sections of the book to be enlightening. Hogue helped spark some new directions for my own thinking. It just wasn't the well-integrated whole I had hoped for. If you are interested in narrative theology, liturgy, or pastoral care, this is a book worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Story in Ritual, Pastoral Care, and the Brain
Review: David Hogue sets out an ambitious goal for Remembering the Future, Imagining the Past. He strives to integrate neuroscience, ritual studies, and pastoral theology in a 200-page text.

The first half of the text outlines the roles of imagination, memory, and story in the human brain and human living. The second half of the text then expands upon these concepts and applies them to ritual leadership, pastoral counseling, and spiritual disciplines.

I found Hogue to be moderately successful in his goal. In particular, the scientific material on the brain was not always well integrated into the text as a whole. It was as if Hogue had two starting points, ministry and neuroscience. While he tried to make the two meet in the middle, Hogue didn't quite make it.

The connections between ritual and pastoral care were much stronger (Hogue's own area of expertise is pastoral theology). This work, alone, makes the book worth reading.

Overall, I did find many sections of the book to be enlightening. Hogue helped spark some new directions for my own thinking. It just wasn't the well-integrated whole I had hoped for. If you are interested in narrative theology, liturgy, or pastoral care, this is a book worth reading.