Abstract
Browning’s influential use of practical reason for his fundamental practical theology is analysed. His correlation of theory and practice in his three stages of theory, practice and theory is also critiqued because his approach reduces practical theology almost to professionalism and principles for ministry. His approach could also result in an antagonistic relationship between practice and theory as practice is reduced to theory or academics. This article seeks to present a critically engaged practical reasoning approach in which theory and practice have an in-ter-dependent relationship. Practical reason is an activity in which engagement happens at every stage. For this to happen, theory and practice interact as equal variables that have a bearing on each other not to reduce the one to the other, but to complement each other in a lateral hermeneutical process. This process has four stages, unlike Browning’s three-stage correlation. The stages are schematically presented as practice, theory, practice and theory.
Highlights
Since the mid-eighties practical theology has attracted renewed interest from both theology and other sciences
Did practical theology become important for the church to interpret the increasing gap between modernity and post-modernity or between universalism and particularity, the gap between the autonomous individual and the communitarian persons, and how rationality is used in practical theology
Whilst Browning’s critical correlational approach to practical theology forms the basis for some of the most influential approaches and scholars, this article will point out in which way reasoning in practical theology has been reduced to professionalism and principles for ministry in the church and the world
Summary
Since the mid-eighties practical theology has attracted renewed interest from both theology and other sciences. In doing this I attempt to point out the significance of Browning’s critical correlational approach to practical theology’s renewed importance in post-modernity. Browning’s approach is an attempt to relate theory and practice to the interaction of practical theology with the church and society by using practical reason. Whilst Browning’s critical correlational approach to practical theology forms the basis for some of the most influential approaches and scholars, this article will point out in which way reasoning in practical theology has been reduced to professionalism and principles for ministry in the church and the world.
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