Dames, Gordon E.2015-09-152015-09-152010-11Dames, G.E., 2010, ‘The dilemma of traditional and 21st-century pastoral ministry: Ministering to families and communities faced with socio-economic pathologies’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 66(2),Art. #817, 7 pages. DOI:10.4102/hts.v66i2.817.0259-9422 (print)2072-8050 (online)10.4102/hts.v66i2.817http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49851A holistic pastoral methodology is sought in transforming the socio-economic and systemic pathologies of poor families and local communities. Missional pastoral ministry is proposed from a critical hermeneutical and contextual perspective for the empowerment and liberation of people living with complex and multiple forms of pathologies. A transversal rationality model is applied merging the complexity and divergence of cross-disciplinary and intradisciplinary approaches between missional theology, practical theology, contextual theology, religious pedagogy and ethics. Practical theology in South Africa should be applied from and within the contemporary socio-economic, systemic and ecclesiological pathologies. Solidarity, prayer, and martyrdom add up to a time of salvation and judgment, a time of grace and stern demand – a time, above all, of hope.en© 2010. The Authors. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.Missional pastoral ministrySocio-economic and systemic pathologiesMaintenance ecclesiologiesTransversal hermeneuticsPoverty-sticken families and communitiesLiberation and empowermentArticle