Theological Reflection According to Paul

Abstract

In my experience as an adult educator theological reflection is often misunderstood. It is, therefore, not surprising that adult learners find it difficult to grasp. This article explores Galatians as an example of theological reflection in which Paul uses five distinct narrative strands to address the problem of Christian/Jewish identity in the community of faith. The article seeks to demonstrate how Paul models good practice by engaging with actual experience through the telling of his own and the Galatians' stories in dialogue with traditional accounts of faith through the stories of God in creation and of Israel, which are in turn understood afresh in the light of the story of Jesus Christ. Finally, it concludes that theological reflection occurs wherever theology and current practice meet in informed dialogue, also that even the most unlikely dialogue is often narrative in form and that theological reflection therefore need not alienate adult Christian learners.