Are you looking for a brief introduction to what the biblical counseling movement is and how it has changed over the years? In Developments in Biblical Counseling, J. Cameron Fraser turns a journalistic eye to this question and presents a concise assessment.  Introducing us to the formative work of Jay Adams, Fraser outlines several themes of biblical counseling that became foundational for the movement as a whole and observes how the movement received criticisms from outside and made necessary developments from within. He points out that some of these developments have an affinity with Puritan approaches to counseling that Adams rejects but may point in a more consistently biblical direction. 

Table of Contents:

1. Some Foundational Views of Nouthetic Counseling
2. Some Criticisms of Nouthetic Counseling
3. Some Developments in Biblical Counseling
4. Biblical and Puritan Counseling

About the Author 

Following thirty years of pastoral ministry in western Canada, J. Cameron Fraser now works with Streets Alive Mission and Rehoboth Christian Ministries in Lethbridge and the surrounding area of Alberta, Canada. He also serves as stated clerk of Classis Alberta South and Saskatchewan in the Christian Reformed Church and preaches frequently. He has authored or coauthored three previous books and has twice been a magazine editor.

Endorsements

"Fair, compelling, and helpful. I hope the book sells very well, and that it advances the cause of Christ as the church grows up in maturity by increasingly learning how to speak the truth in love.  It will be required reading in a course of mine." - Heath Lambert, Executive Director, Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. Associate Professor of Counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 

“Cautious, canny, and clear, Cameron Fraser’s sympathetic unpacking of this internal debate in Christian counseling is a bonus for the bemused.” — J. I. Packer, Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC

"I have so enjoyed reading Cameron's book. It is written thoughtfully and helpfully." – David Powlison, Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation

“I was blessed in the reading. . . . I found this to be a valuable and needed book.” — Ron Harris, from the foreword

“Cameron knows his subject, writes simply and clearly, and assesses positions in a fair and balanced way. This book will help readers navigate the different approaches in biblical counseling.” — David Murray, professor of Old Testament and practical theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan

“Cameron Fraser has written a superb and concise analysis of developments in biblical/nouthetic counseling over the past fifty years. He accurately describes and fairly evaluates those who have led this movement, with many of whom I have had the personal privilege of studying and working in my years as a professor and president at Westminster Seminary. Anyone who reads this book will be well informed and deeply blessed by it.” — Samuel Logan, associate international director, World Reformed Fellowship