David W. Augsburger

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, 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.

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. 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."

Selected publications