Author Guidelines




Editorial Policy

     Good professional

 practice relies on ongoing reflection. The capacity for critical self-reflection is an essential dimension of any habitus for ministry and religious leadership. Pastoral supervision is itself a practice that occurs in relationships that encourage such critical reflection in ministry.  When formation is added to supervision, the practices are expanded to include the many ways by which people are prepared for and sustained in religious leadership. Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry seeks to provide a framework for reflection on supervision and formation for a range of ministries, in a variety of contexts, and from different faith traditions. The mission statement of this journal supports that goal. 

    The primary ministries or professional organizations that find Reflective Practice to be most helpful include: Clinical Pastoral Education, Professional Chaplains, Pastoral Counseling, Theological Contextual or Field Education, and Spiritual Direction.

       As an Editorial Board we are committed to a diverse conversation.  We are determined to enhance the richness of reflective practice through soliciting articles from a variety of religious and ethnic/cultural perspectives. We hope that readers will learn from reflecting on the practice of supervision and formation in disciplines and contexts quite different than their own.

   We invite you to send your comments about this Journal and its focus. Write us at www.reflective-practice-journal.org.  We also hope you will submit for publication your reflections on the practice of supervision and formation in ministry. 


Author Guidelines 

     While this journal welcomes essays from a wide range of disciplines, its focus is on formation and supervision in and for the sake of strengthening ministry.  Only articles related to that focus will be considered for publication.

  The journal is published in February each year.

     Every volume of the journal focuses on a theme, chosen by the Editorial Board.  Articles should address an aspect of the theme, though we also welcome articles outside of the stated theme.  Sometimes a cluster of articles is submitted that can form a mini-theme or symposium within the larger issue.

     Articles should not exceed twenty pages, double-spaced, or about 5000 words and should follow Chicago Manual of Style guidelines (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3jWXum1ecU). Notes should be indicated with superior numerals and placed as endnotes at the conclusion of the article.  Normally, there is no bibliography.  The first page of the article should show (a) the title of the article, (b) the author's or authors' name(s), (c) title, (d) institution, (e) location and (f) email address for publication in case readers wish to dialogue with the author.  If you as an author do not wish your email address to be included, please state so when you submit an article for publication.

     Determination to publish an article will be made by the Editors.  The article will be read and reviewed by at least one other member of the Editorial Board or another professional whose expertise relates to the topic of the essay.  Once an article is approved in principle for publication, it will be edited by a copy editor, for length, format, grammar and punctuation.

    The journal publishes open access, online, through Simon Fraser University, and the SFU format requires a brief abstract and keywords, to facilitate computer searches.  Authors are required to provide a brief abstract (up to 50 words) and at least three keywords that reflect the primary subject of the article.  If an author does not provide an abstract or keywords, the Editor will require them before being published online.

  RP is committed to the cultivation of young and/or first time authors.  If you have an idea for a submission or a draft version of a possible article, RP would welcome the opportunity to give you feedback and guide you toward the eventual publication of your article.

The Editorial Board requires that authors use inclusive language.  The only exception is direct quotations from other authors or sources.  Potential articles that do not use inclusive language but otherwise might be suitable for publication will be returned to the author for further editing.

  In addition to full length essays, Reflective Practice often includes shorter pieces, such as poems, case studies, reflections and responses to longer essays.  Sometimes RP also includes reprints of significant addresses or lectures delivered at conferences related to one of our professional organizations. 

   Each issue of Reflective Practice also includes an ACPE theory presentation, chosen by a group of ACPE Certified Educators as the “theory presentation of the year.”  Usually the theory presentation comes from someone working toward being an ACPE Certified Educator or other parallel supervisory credentialing processes.  A panel of readers overseen by the Editorial Board reviews these presentations, and the outstanding presentation is selected for publication.  

        Finally, each issue of Reflective Practice includes a dozen or so book reviews, brief reviews of newly published books in the disciplines related to this journal or on supervision in general.  Book reviews are welcome.

      If you would like to submit an article for possible publication or have any questions about these guidelines, please contact our editors. Thank You. 

Co-Editor  Matthew Floding                                mfloding@div.duke.edu

Co-Editor Danielle Buhuro danielle.buhuro@acpe.edu