In Defence of ‘Ordinary Theology’

Abstract

Although most ‘God-talkers’ have not studied academic theology at all, they are engaged in doing their own theology whenever they speak and think about God with any seriousness. ‘Ordinary theology’ is the author's term for the theology of Christians who have received little or no theological education of a scholarly, academic or systematic kind. This paper argues for the significance of the study of this more personal, religious and spiritual form of reflective faith, and of its learning context. In particular, the educational, communicative and pastoral ministries of the church need to look and listen carefully to ordinary theology.