{{Short description|American Anabaptist (1938–2023)}} {{Infobox person | name = David W. Augsburger | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|8|14|mf=y}} | birth_place = Delphos, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|10|30|1938|8|14}} | death_place = Claremont, California, U.S. | occupation = Pastoral counselor · Author · Educator | education = Eastern Mennonite College (B.A., 1960); Eastern Mennonite Seminary (B.Div., 1963); Claremont School of Theology (Ph.D. in Personality, Theology & Psychotherapy, 1974) | years_active = 1961–2023 | known_for = Leading figure in pastoral care and cross-cultural conflict mediation | notable_works = ''Caring Enough to Confront'' (1980); ''The Freedom of Forgiveness'' (1988); ''Conflict Mediation Across Cultures'' (1992); ''Dissident Discipleship'' (2006) | spouse = Leann Elrich Augsburger | children = Three }}
'''David W. Augsburger''' (August 14, 1938 – October 30, 2023) was an American [[Mennonite]] pastor, author, theologian, counselor, and educator, known for his influential work in pastoral care, cross-cultural counseling, and conflict mediation.
==Early life and education==
Born in [[Delphos, Ohio]], and raised on a farm in [[Elida, Ohio|Elida]], he was the youngest of six children. His parents were Clarence and Estella Augsburger. He earned degrees from [[Eastern Mennonite College]] (B.A., 1960) and [[Eastern Mennonite Seminary]] (B.Div., 1963), and completed a Ph.D. in Personality, Theology, and Psychotherapy at [[Claremont School of Theology]] in 1974.<ref name=Bergstresser>{{cite web |last=Bergstresser |first=Annette Brill |title=Remembering David Augsburger |website=Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary News |date=November 9, 2023 |url=https://ambs.edu/news/remembering-david-augsburger/ |access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref><ref name=Fuller>{{cite web |title=In Memoriam: David Augsburger |website=Fuller Seminary News |date=November 3, 2023 |url=https://www.fuller.edu/posts/in-memoriam-david-augsburger/ |access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref><ref name=Huber>{{cite news |last=Huber |first=Tim |title=Augsburger Sought Reconciliation, Justice via Classrooms, Pews, Airwaves |newspaper=Anabaptist World |date=November 10, 2023 |url=https://anabaptistworld.org/augsburger-sought-reconciliation-justice-via-classrooms-pews-airwaves/ |access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref>
==Career==
Augsburger began his career with Mennonite Broadcasts (1961–1974), where he hosted the Mennonite Hour radio program and sang with the Mennonite Hour Quartet. He was ordained in 1963 and served as pastor of Trissels Mennonite Church in Virginia until 1971. He later held faculty positions at [[Northern Baptist Theological Seminary]], [[Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary]] (now AMBS), and [[Fuller Theological Seminary]], where he taught pastoral counseling from 1990 until his retirement in 2012.<ref name=Bergstresser /><ref name=Huber />
Throughout his career, Augsburger led workshops worldwide on reconciliation, forgiveness, cross-cultural conflict, and interpersonal relationships. His major publications include ''Caring Enough to Confront'' (1980), ''Conflict Mediation Across Cultures'' (1992), ''The Freedom of Forgiveness'' (1988), ''Dissident Discipleship'' (2006), and ''Pastoral Counseling Across Cultures'' (1986). His ''Caring Enough'' series remains widely used in counseling and ministry settings.<ref name=Bergstresser /><ref name=Fuller /><ref name=Huber />
A devoted pacifist and peacemaker, Augsburger was known for his compassion, deep listening, and ability to confront injustice with grace. He co-pastored Peace Mennonite Fellowship in Claremont, California for many years until his death.<ref name=Bergstresser /> Augsburger was a minister of the [[Mennonite Church USA|Mennonite Church]] and a diplomate of the [[American Association of Pastoral Counselors]].<ref name=Bergstresser /><ref name=Fuller /><ref name=Huber />
==Personal life and death==
Augsburger was married to Leann Elrich Augsburger, and had three children. His brother [[Myron Augsburger|Myron]] was a prominent [[Mennonite|Mennonite Church]] author, evangelist, and theologian. Augsburger died at home in [[Claremont, California]] on October 30, 2023, at age 85.<ref name=Bergstresser /><ref name=Huber />
==Legacy== Throughout his career, Augsburger was widely quoted in the media on a variety of topics related to spirituality and pastoral care.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schriever |first=Jordanna |title=Spirituality, Flexibility Basis for Church Life |newspaper=The Advertiser |date=16 June 2008 |page=24 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/355064852 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest|355064852 }}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kang |first=Connie |title=Enlisting God's Help in Fighting Divorce |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=21 December 2002 |page=B02 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/279586128 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest|279586128 }}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kang |first=Connie |title=Religion: Churches Act to Buttress the Family; Pastors Once Thought Just Being Christians Would Save Marriages. Now They're Offering Counseling, Before and After the Nuptials |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=7 December 2002 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/421747178 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest| 421747178}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Stammer |first=Larry B. |title=A Reckoning: Forgiveness and Fury |newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |date=13 June 2001 |page=E1 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/279605787 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest|279605787 }}}}</ref> He was often cited for his memorable quote about the importance of listening in a relationship: "Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable."<ref>{{cite news |last=Rice |first=Carole A. |title=The Art of Listening and Really Hearing Is an Act of Love, Says Carole Ann Rice |newspaper=Daily Express |date=5 February 2018 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1994212289 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest|1944212289 }}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Christian |first=Rebecca |title=Listening Makes a Connection |newspaper=Telegraph-Herald |date=24 October 2014 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1615907404 |access-date=April 2, 2025|id={{ProQuest|1615907404 }}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Magill |first=Martin |title=We Could All Learn a Thing or Two from Clever and Respectful Young Leaders: Keeping the Faith in a Pandemic |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph |date=27 February 2021 |page=31 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2493785330 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |id={{ProQuest|2493785330 }}}}</ref>
==Selected publications== * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1970 |title=Life or Limbo |publisher=Herald Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Life+or+Limbo+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1970 |title=Be All You Can Be |publisher=Creation House |url=https://openlibrary.org/books/OL4914022M |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1970 |title=The Freedom of Forgiveness |publisher=Moody Press |isbn=9780802428752 |url=https://archive.org/details/70x7freedomoffor0000unse |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1971 |title=Witness Is Withness: More Showing Than Telling |publisher=Herald Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Witness+Is+Withness+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1971 |title=Cherishable: Love and Marriage |publisher=Herald Press |isbn=9780836116625 |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Cherishable+Love+and+Marriage+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1972 |title=Communicating Good News |publisher=Herald Press |isbn=9780836117127 |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Communicating+Good+News+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1973 |title=A Risk Worth Taking |publisher=Herald Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=A+Risk+Worth+Taking+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1973 |title=Man, Am I Uptight! |publisher=Moody Press |isbn=9780802451729 |url=https://archive.org/details/manuptight0000davi |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1973 |title=Caring Enough to Confront: How to Understand and Express Your Deepest Feelings Toward Others |publisher=Revell |isbn=9780800729189 |url=https://archive.org/details/caringenoughtoco00augs |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1979 |title=Anger and Assertiveness in Pastoral Care |publisher=Westminster Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Anger+and+Assertiveness+in+Pastoral+Care+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1980 |title=Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard: How to Hear and How to Be Heard in Equal Communication |publisher=Revell |isbn=9780830708369 |url=https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL38841A/David_W._Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1981 |title=So What? Everybody’s Doing It |publisher=Revell |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=So+What+Everybody%27s+Doing+It+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1981 |title=Caring Enough to Forgive—Caring Enough Not to Forgive |publisher=Regal Books |url=https://archive.org/details/caringenoughtofo0000augs |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1982 |title=From Here to Maturity |publisher=Tyndale House |url=https://archive.org/details/fromheretomaturi0000davi |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1983 |title=When Caring Is Not Enough: Resolving Conflicts Through Fair Fighting |publisher=Revell |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=When+Caring+Is+Not+Enough+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1984 |title=When Enough Is Enough |publisher=Revell |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=When+Enough+Is+Enough+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1986 |title=Pastoral Counseling Across Cultures |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=9780664256166 |url=https://archive.org/details/pastoralcounseli0000augs |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1989 |title=Sustaining Love: Healing & Growth in the Passages of Marriage |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Sustaining+Love+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1992 |title=Conflict Mediation Across Cultures: Pathways and Patterns |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=9780664256098 |url=https://archive.org/details/conflictmediatio00augs |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=1996 |title=Helping People Forgive |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=9780664256869 |url=https://archive.org/details/helpingpeoplefor0000augs |via=Internet Archive}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=2000 |title=The New Freedom of Forgiveness |publisher=Moody Publishers |isbn=9781575676852 |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=The+New+Freedom+of+Forgiveness+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=2004 |title=Hate-Work: Working Through the Pain and Pleasures of Hate |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=9780664226824 |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Hate-Work+Augsburger |via=Open Library}} * {{cite book |last=Augsburger |first=David W. |year=2006 |title=Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self-Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor |publisher=Brazos Press |url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=Dissident+Discipleship+Augsburger |via=Open Library}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * Augsburger, D. W. (1992). ''Conflict Mediation Across Cultures''. Westminster John Knox Press {{ISBN|978-0664256098}}
==External links== * [http://www.librarything.com/author/augsburgerdavidw&all=1 Complete Bibliography] * [http://www.fuller.edu/academics/faculty/david-augsburger.aspx Comprehensive Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208171552/http://fuller.edu/academics/faculty/david-augsburger.aspx |date=2009-02-08 }} {{Fuller Theological Seminary}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Augsburger, David W}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:2023 deaths]] [[Category:Mennonite ministers]] [[Category:Mennonite theologians]] [[Category:American Mennonites]] [[Category:Christian radicals]] [[Category:Fuller Theological Seminary faculty]] [[Category:Eastern Mennonite University alumni]] [[Category:20th-century Anabaptist ministers]] [[Category:Mennonite writers]] [[Category:Claremont School of Theology alumni]]