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The Descent of ManBy: Charles Darwin Applying his controversial theory of evolution to the origins of the human species, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was the culmination of his life's work. In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too 'surrounded with prejudices'. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book
By: Charles DarwinApplying his controversial theory of evolution to the origins of the human species, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was the culmination of his life's work.
In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too 'surrounded with prejudices'. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by 'sexual selection' - Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Named by Sigmund Freud as 'one of the ten most significant books' ever written, Darwin's Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human.
In their introduction, James Moore and Adrian Desmond, acclaimed biographers of Charles Darwin, call for a radical re-assessment of the book, arguing that its core ideas on race were fired by Darwin's hatred of slavery. The text is the second and definitive edition and this volume also contains suggestions for further reading, a chronology and biographical sketches of prominent individuals mentioned.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 10 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Pastorally edifying & personally encouraging
Format: Kindle
As a pastor and a biblical counselor, I’ve read Powlison many times. I know people who knew him personally. He is a man of nearly mythic proportions in the 2026 landscapes of biblical counseling.
And so, based the current landscape of the BC movement at the dawn of 2026, I thought it was to revisit Powlison myself.
This is an excellent little read. Recommended for ALL pastors and counselors.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2026
★★★★★ 4
Insightful, Bibical, and Helpful, but with One Major Oversimplification
Format: Paperback
This brief book posthumously publishes new reflections from David Powlison about pastoral counseling. The book opens with a foreword from Ed Welch, who writes about his personal connection with the author and the ways that this book has sharpened his thinking, and the main text includes an introduction, two chapters, and an appendix with suggested reading from both Christian and secular sources. Although "The Pastor as Counselor: The Call for Soul Care" is only eighty pages long, it is full of articulate, biblical, and concise reflections about what counseling is and why pastoral counseling is so uniquely powerful.
Insightful and Wise
Although I read this book from a layperson's perspective, I found it insightful and helpful. Powlison explains that pastors are always counselors, regardless whether or not they meet one-on-one with people, and show by example what kind of soul care they think is necessary for flourishing. He encourages pastors to take stock of how they present themselves and what common failings they need to avoid, such as offering platitudes or not listening well. He also delineates the clear differences between pastoral counseling and secular "therapeutic professionalism." He explains that because pastoral counseling is gospel-based and flows out of a personal relationship that is free from clinical detachment or professional reserve, it can be particularly powerful to help change people's lives.
One Concern
I absolutely agree with this, but unfortunately, Powlison creates a false dichotomy between biblical counseling and professional therapy, making it sound like all resources outside of the church will be unhelpful and spiritually destructive. The church has unique resources to meet sufferers' needs, and we shouldn't abandon Christians to the spiritually twisted and harmful ideas common within secular counseling, but Powlison creates a false dilemma between abandoning people to godless counseling versus taking on all of their care within the church directly. He does not address how Christian mental health professionals can support the church's work in complicated cases, and does not indicate what a pastor should do if someone's mental health situation or life struggles are beyond the church's understanding or ability to deal with.
Because I am not very familiar with Powlisons's work, I do not know what all of his views are related to integrative approaches to counseling, and it is possible that he has addressed this issue in-depth elsewhere. I certainly did not expect him to cover it in much detail in this very short book, but the oversimplification that he presents calls for discernment and additional reading. I hope that Powlison's writing here will not make pastors resistant to partnering with professionals outside of the church body, as long as those therapists bring a Christian worldview and gospel implications into each aspect of their work.
Conclusion
Despite my concerns about this oversimplified element, I would strongly recommend that pastors read this book as a way to evaluate themselves, better understand their unique role in people's lives, and consider how they can better care for others in their context. Powlison addresses many issues very well in this book, and it is a wonderful resource for pastors who need succinct, encouraging insight into how they can better understand the counseling aspect of their pastoral role and engage in meaningful conversations, caring relationships, and one-on-one care.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
★★★★★ 5
Truth will make you free
Format: Kindle
This book is simple, almost rudimentary in its approach to something we might take for granted. When we preach and teach because it is Sunday or Wednesday, we miss the greatest point of pulpit ministry. here are souls at sake and we are telling how to win the battle, not just another Bible story.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2025
★★★★★ 5
An essential resource for pastors
Format: Kindle
"The Pastor as Counselor" is an essential resource for pastors and church leaders navigating the intersection of faith, mental health, and soul care. David Powlison offers a wealth of Christ-centered motivational insights, practical guidelines, and biblical wisdom to encourage and equip pastors, leaders, and congregants in effectively counseling one another in the context of the church community.
“The Pastor as Counselor” includes two sections. The first section defines counseling, and the second lays out the uniqueness of pastoral counseling. One of the book's greatest strengths lies in Powlison’s unrelenting insistence that the pastor is a counselor and the conviction that counseling practices must be grounded in the teachings of the Bible. He notes that every place in Scripture that deals with specific concerns of individuals should be considered a counseling passage.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2024
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Short Treatise
Format: Kindle
This popped up in my feed as a recommendation, and I am very glad that I purchased it. Easily read in ninety minutes, but not shallow nor easily digested. I highlighted many passages in this book and will re-read in the future.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024