The Journal of Pastoral Theology was established in 1990 by the Society for Pastoral Theology to:
Further the understanding of pastoral theology as a theological discipline and to clarify the nature of the discipline;
Maintain a view of pastoral theology as a constructive theology that emerges from the exercise of caring relationships, with attention both to present lived experience and to knowledge derived from the past;
Provide an intentional forum for the voices of diverse persons, women and men, of many cultural and ethnic backgrounds;
Foster multi-cultural understandings of issues in the discipline;
Promote and encourage multi-discipline and multi-cultural research in the field of pastoral theology;
Provide resources for those who teach and those who study, through recording current research and assessing the relevant literature;
Provide for the construction of sound theological principles for guidance and critique of practices of pastoral and spiritual care; and
Work creatively, through synthesis and construction, to define the frontiers and parameters of the discipline.
Peer Review Policy: All research articles published in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymized refereeing by at least two anonymous referees.
Journal metrics
Usage
14K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
0.7 (2023) Impact Factor
Speed/acceptance
62% acceptance rate
Understanding and using journal metrics
Journal metrics can be a useful tool for readers, as well as for authors
who are deciding where to submit their next manuscript for publication.
However, any one metric only tells a part of the story of a journal’s
quality and impact. Each metric has its limitations which means that it
should never be considered in isolation, and metrics should be used to
support and not replace qualitative review.
We strongly recommend that you always use a number of metrics, alongside
other qualitative factors such as a journal’s aims & scope, its
readership, and a review of past content published in the journal. In
addition, a single article should always be assessed on its own merits and
never based on the metrics of the journal it was published in.
Usage and acceptance rate data above are for the last full calendar year
and are updated annually in February. Speed data is updated every six
months, based on the prior six months. Citation metrics are updated
annually mid-year. Please note that some journals do not display all of
the following metrics
(find out why).
Usage:
the total number of times articles in the journal were viewed by users
of Taylor & Francis Online in the previous calendar year, rounded to the
nearest thousand.
Citation Metrics
Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles published in the
journal within a two-year window. Only journals in the Clarivate Science
Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI),
Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources
Citation Index (ESCI) have an Impact Factor.
Impact Factor Best Quartile*:
the journal’s highest subject category ranking in the Journal Citation
Reports. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest Impact Factors.
5 Year Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal
within a five-year window.
CiteScore (Scopus)†:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal over
a four-year period.
CiteScore Best Quartile†:
the journal’s highest CiteScore ranking in a Scopus subject category. Q1
= 25% of journals with the highest CiteScores.
SNIP
(Source Normalized Impact per Paper):
the number of citations per paper in the journal, divided by citation
potential in the field.
SJR
(Scimago Journal Rank):
Average number of (weighted) citations in one year, divided by the
number of articles published in the journal in the previous three years.
Speed/acceptance
From submission to first decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision. Based on manuscripts receiving a
first decision in the last six months.
From submission to first post-review decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision if it is sent out for peer review.
Based on manuscripts receiving a post-review first decision in the last
six months.
From acceptance to online publication:
the average (median) number of days from acceptance of a manuscript to
online publication of the Version of Record. Based on articles published
in the last six months.
Acceptance rate:
articles accepted for publication by the journal in the previous
calendar year as percentage of all papers receiving a final decision.
Mary Clark Moschella, Yale University School of Divinity, USA
Eunil David Cho, Boston University School of Theology, USA
Book Reviews Editor:
Pamela Cooper-White, Union Theological Seminary, USA M. Jan Holton, Duke Divinity School, USA
Advertisement Editor and Media Outreach:
Jessica Chapman Lape, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, USA
Editorial board:
Ruben Afjona, Iliff School of Theology, USA Pooreum Clara Chung, Healing and Counseling Graduate University, Korea Yolanda Dreyer, University of Pretoria, South Africa Susan Dunlap, Duke Divinity School, USA Marlene Ferreras, La Sierra University, USA Gloria Grasse, Center for Religion and Psychotherapy, USA Michael Koppel, Wesley Theological Seminary, USA Armin Kummer, KU Leuven, Belgium Ryan LaMothe, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, USA
Pamela R. McCarroll, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto, Canada
Juanita Meyer, University of the Free State, South Africa
Zachary Moon, Chicago Theological Seminary, USA Steve Taylor, Flinders University, Australia
Nancy Ramsay, Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, USA
Abstracting and indexing
Journal of Pastoral Theology is included in the following services:
ATLA Religion Database
Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)
Open access
Journal of Pastoral Theology is a hybrid open access journal that is part of our Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research.
Why choose open access?
Increase the discoverability and readership of your article
Make an impact and reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library
Freely share your work with anyone, anywhere
Comply with funding mandates and meet the requirements of your institution, employer or funder
Rigorous peer review for every open access article
Article Publishing Charges (APC)
If you choose to publish open access in this journal you may be asked to pay an Article Publishing Charge (APC). You may be able to publish your article at no cost to yourself or with a reduced APC if your institution or research funder has an open access agreement or membership with Taylor & Francis.
The SPT has provided a forum for conversation and sharing original research among theological educators and others interested in critical reflection on the theology, theory and practice of care in ministry. Subjects often cross mainstream boundaries, yet may have profound implications for knowledge and practice. The SPT publishes the Journal of Pastoral Theology, hosts an annual conference and connects scholars.
Membership of the Society includes a subscription to the Journal of Pastoral Theology. For more information and to join the Society, visit https://societyforpastoraltheology.org/.
Print ISSN:
1064-9867
Online ISSN:
2161-4504
3 issues per year
Advertising information
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Society for Pastoral Theology and our publisher Taylor & Francis make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in our publications. However, Society for Pastoral Theology and our publisher Taylor & Francis, our agents (including the editor, any member of the editorial team or editorial board, and any guest editors), and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Society for Pastoral Theology and our publisher Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Society for Pastoral Theology and our publisher Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the Content. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions .
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