A black hero's journey

There is a dearth of Black male education success stories and a lack of documenting by some pastoral practitioners of their model of pastoral care. The absence of both my story and model was due to traumatic memories. As a Black male pastor and educator, seen as a role model, working to inspire Black young males disaffected in their education, the absence blocked my practice advancement. Therefore, I used this problem for a self-reflective study on my practice to put my record straight. First I revisited a snapshot of my educational past and contemporary practice using a Black metaphorical redemptive lens to see my study as a Black hero’s journey. Second, I imagined myself through a Johari Awareness Model in reflective conversation with myself, Jesus Christ, and others. Third, I located my work within a practical theological paradigm and used autoethnographic methodological approach and methods to gather and analyse my data. Finally, I subjected my findings to a discussion interpreted through my conceptual lens to see what would emerge. Hidden insights underpinning my practice were surfaced providing me with a new view of my life and way of being in my practice. Captured in the form of my autoethnography, this serves as a new Black cultural symbolic resource. This gives documented access to my education success story. It also models my pastoral practice which now enables me to share with others, through symbolic modelling, the current best knowledge and practices underpinning my work. My study is an innovative use of inner experiences for Black professional advancement from blocked traumatic memories. It provides a new model within the field of practical theology, by which others might see a theology by heart beyond the usage of text for professional development. My inquiry makes me more transparent and a better role model for student and colleagues.