Dr. Aung Myint ThangPresident of Yangon Graduate School of Theology
and Vice supervisor of CPE Myanmar
I am glad to launch Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in our school and to have Dr. Byeong as our Supervisor. Dr. Byeong has extensive experience in this area, and we greatly appreciate his guidance and support as we begin this program.
As we know Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) provides theological students with practical, supervised ministry experience that bridges classroom learning and real-life pastoral care. It helps students grow personally, spiritually, and professionally.
- Integrates Theology with Real-Life Ministry
CPE enables students to apply biblical and theological knowledge in actual ministry situations. Students learn how faith, doctrine, and pastoral care intersect with the everyday struggles of people.
- Develops Pastoral Care Skills
Students learn how to:
Listen empathetically
Conduct pastoral visits
Provide spiritual support during crises
Offer prayer and encouragement appropriately
Respond to grief, illness, and suffering
- Increases Self-Awareness
Through reflection, supervision, and verbatim reports, students become more aware of:
Their strengths and weaknesses
Personal biases and assumptions
Emotional responses in ministry
Their pastoral identity and calling
- Enhances Communication Skills
CPE helps students improve:
Active listening
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Interpersonal relationships
Conflict resolution skills
- Strengthens Spiritual Formation
Students often discover deeper dimensions of:
Trust in God
Dependence on prayer
Spiritual maturity
Understanding God’s presence in human suffering
- Provides Experience in Diverse Ministry Contexts
Students encounter people from different:
Cultures
Religious backgrounds
Ages
Social and economic situations
This broadens their understanding of ministry in today’s multicultural world.
- Encourages Reflective Practice
Through group discussions, supervision, and theological reflection, students learn to ask:
What happened?
Why did it happen?
Where was God present?
What can I learn for future ministry?
- Builds Professional Ministry Competence
CPE prepares students for:
Church ministry
Hospital chaplaincy
Counseling ministries
Mission work
Community outreach
Leadership roles
- Develops Crisis and Caregiving Skills
Students learn how to minister effectively during:
Illness
Death and bereavement
Family crises
Trauma
Spiritual struggles
- Prepares Students for Lifelong Ministry
CPE cultivates habits of reflection, learning, and personal growth that continue throughout a minister’s career.
Clinical Pastoral Education is more than a course; it is a transformative learning process. It helps theological students become compassionate, self-aware, spiritually mature, and effective ministers who can faithfully serve people in the complexities of real life.
“CPE moves students from merely knowing about ministry to actually becoming pastoral caregivers in the presence of God and God’s people.”