Through a series of essays contributed by leading experts in the field, The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Practical Theology presents an introduction to practical theology as a major area of Christian study and practice, including an overview of its key developments, themes, methods, and future directions.

• The first comprehensive reference work to provide a survey, description and analysis of practical theology as an area of study
• A range of leading scholars in the field provide original contributions on the major areas, issues, and figures in practical theology
• Reviews an extensive range of methods for studying theology in practice, along with sub-disciplines in theological education such as pastoral care and preaching
• Covers developments in the discipline in a range of global contexts and distinct Christian traditions
• Shows how practical theology is relevant to everyday life

Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore is E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Pastoral Theology at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion. Winner of a prestigious Henry Luce III Fellow in Theology award, she is a national and international leader in pastoral and practical theologies and widely recognized for research on families, women, and children. Her publications include Feminist and Womanist Pastoral Theology (1999) and an upcoming collection of essays, Christian Theology in Practice: Discovering a Discipline (2012).