The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders [Hardcover]

Building on research of brain scientists and psychologists, particularly Daniel Goleman, that suggests that 'feeling and thinking& are inseparable parts of our cognitive system,' Oswald and Jacobson examine Jesus, congregations, and church leaders through this lens, with the aim of enriching congregational life. They contend that Jesus, as portrayed in the synoptic gospels, exemplifies an emotionally intelligent person through such traits as his ability to elicit 'healing trust in ill persons,' 'abundance mentality,' self-awareness, empathy, optimism, and stress resilience. When used in congregational settings, these qualities help people thrive, equipping them to address toxic interchanges head-on, promote teamwork, and offer effective pastoral care. An emotionally intelligent pastor is one who develops trust, builds relationships, is honest about difficult truths, and embodies Christian grace. The authors offer guidance for developing emotional intelligence, advice for a variety of pastoral situations and ministry settings, and tools, such as the Clergy Life Changes Rating Scale. Compelling, insightful and practical, this book is a valuable resource for promoting healthy congregations.The many studies of Jesus range from the scholarly to the devotional, from the iconoclastic to the worshipful, and from the social to the psychological to the philosophical. Oswald and Jacobson move into interesting new territory by combining rigorous historical-critical scholarship with advances in scientific studies of the human brain and nervous system. Without committing themselves to the historicity of the sources for Jesus one way or the other and viewing him instead as a character in literary documents, the authors conclude that the main traits Jesus displayed in his words and actions were self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness, and optimismthat is, he presents as a resilient figure capable of loving enemies and dispensing forgiveness. Studies of emotional intelligence point lc+