Pastoral Care from a Transgenerational Perspective with Special Regard to Marriage

At the center of my thesis stands pastoral care, in the light of the transgenerational perspective, with particular attention to the context of marriage. Transgenerationality refers to legacies that span across generations, which have an unconscious impact on the individual’s life and relationships. The aim of my thesis is to point out that the effectiveness of pastoral care can be increased if we keep in mind the systemic approach and the patterns inherited across generations. The theoretical background of the thesis consists of a combination of biblical, psychological, and family therapy perspectives, with special emphasis placed on Böszörményi-Nagy Iván’s contextual therapy. I outline the key role of loyalty and transgenerational effects in detail, and—based on the issues of partner selection patterns, conflict resolution, and intergenerational responsibility—I extend the focus to marriage, as one of the most sensitive channels of transgenerational transmission. I consider this essential, because the malfunctioning of this channel can also have a negative effect on the side channels, namely, on future generations. During the analysis, I realized that interpersonality is the driving force of an individual's life, shaping them across different time dimensions. In relation to the emerging dysfunctions, I identified the practice of responsible parenthood as the key to resolution, as it has the potential to break the possible vicious cycle. The clear conclusion of my thesis is that the effectiveness of pastoral care can be significantly improved if inter- and transgenerational effects are also taken into account during therapy, which serves not only individual development but also the healing of relationships and a responsible attitude toward future generations.