Symposium participation was by invitation only, and a stellar group of twenty-five specialists in the field spent intensive days working through one of the most difficult and challenging problem areas where theology, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, law, anthropology, sociology, literature, missions and pastoral care converge. Though the discussions were privileged, owing to the sensitive nature of the subject matter, the general Christian public can now benefit from the fruits of this vital symposium, the present volume offering a large percentage of the conference essays to a wider audience.