Task Of Theology Research Articles

Context-Attentive Theology: On the Rearticulation of Experience in Theological Inquiry

Abstract This article argues that theology (systematic or otherwise) is ultimately grounded in (religious) experience. To that end, I methodologically demonstrate that theological inquiry cannot coherently be pursued without attention to people’s experience of the divine/sacred. Thus, this article stands as a methodological development and defense of a family of theological viewpoints that I call context-attentive theologies. In order to do so, I examine the writings of three authors whose different approaches to the problem of divine revelation will help me to clarify the meaning of context-attentive theology: Jean-Luc Marion, H. Richard Niebuhr, and Gustavo Gutiérrez. I proceed in four steps. First, I provide an account of context-attentive theology through an examination of the task of theology. Second, I focus on Marion’s phenomenology of revelation to ascertain to what extent it incorporates contextual analysis. Third, I turn to Niebuhr’s account of revelation, which I construe as a context-attentive theology shaped by the “historical turn.” Fourth, I turn to Gutiérrez’s liberation theology to show how Niebuhr’s “radical reconstruction” within the context of the historical turn is further radicalized by liberation theology, which I take as a prime example of context-attentive theology.

Imaginaries and Normativities. Experimental Impulses for Digital and Public Theologies

Abstract The article explores how Digital and Public Theologies, two separate but overlapping discourses, can combine empirical and normative efforts. The article highlights the role that the sensitivity for context should play in the development of each of these theologies. To better understand the role of the context, the category of the imaginary is outlined with reference to Charles Taylor and Cornelius Castoriadis. This category helps to describe and criticize imaginaries that determine the social, psychological, political, and contextual realities which theology reflects on – this will be called the reflective or critical task of theology. The category also helps to describe and criticize the imaginaries that determine theological thinking itself, the perspective of a given theology as well as the orientations it suggests. This is the self-critical task of theology. Furthermore, I will suggest to see it as a constant and remaining task of theology to make its imaginations explicit and open to critique because these imaginations are the source of orientations that theology articulates. This calls for theologies that understand themselves as dynamic, unfinished, and discursive.

Proclamatation, Pacifism and Resistance

For there to be a clear and convincing project of social and political transformation, people need to be for something, not simply against what they deplore, but the ability to imagine viable alternatives. It is necessary to imagine a future that makes resistance worthwhile, but that ability is lacking because we humans have forgotten who we are. Dietrich Bonhoeffer contends that the primary task for theology is to understand the world better than it understands itself, from the gospel and from Christ. At the heart of the gospel is the Sermon on the Mount, which he summarizes as “the proclamation of the incarnate love of God” that “calls people to love one another, and thus to reject everything that hinders fulfilling this task,” foremost among which is the failure to love one’s enemies and renounce violence. Together proclamation and pacificism provide the basis for a political theology for the church: the recapitulation of all creation in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Bonhoeffer emphasizes the role of imagination to sustain meaningful resistance to evil, and he connects links the church’s current lack of imagination to the loss of moral memory. The traits that humans need to flourish—justice, truth, and beauty in particular—require the time and steadfastness that are only cultivated within a living moral memory.

Universal Salvation, Damnation, and the Task of Theology

Universal Salvation, Damnation, and the Task of Theology

Kierkegaard and Natural Law

AbstractAbstract: This essay addresses the relationship between Kierkegaard and natural law afresh. First, I exposit Thomas's natural law doctrine in the Summa, particularly its theological emphasis on the God‐human relationship, which often goes underappreciated. Then, I argue that natural law doctrine downstream from Thomas suffers from an acute vulnerability: its natural aspect is emphasised so much that the divine‐human relationship at the heart of natural law falls away. Next, I argue Problema II of Fear and Trembling deals with this same issue and theologically criticises ethics’ secularising tendency. I then argue that Fear and Trembling and other writings of Kierkegaard's corpus claim a universal law similar to Thomas's doctrine: each individual must relate absolutely to God. Thereby, Kierkegaard transforms natural law from a general norm prone to secularisation into a gift and theological task for everyone, grounding the possibility of ethics in the divine‐human relationship. For regular dogmatic purposes, I suggest this shifts natural law to the doctrines of justification and sanctification.

Communicating in chaplaincy: fundamentals and case studies

ABSTRACT Reflecting on the pastor's professionalism is one of the tasks of practical theology. The goal of this article is to contribute to good practice in Christian chaplaincy. We investigate how to communicate as a chaplain and, to this end, we discuss the functions of asking questions as exemplary of professional chaplaincy interventions. Methodologically, the article has a theoretical as well as an empirical scope. For the former, we develop fundamentals for communicating in pastoral care; for the latter, we make use of illustrative case studies from Dutch chaplaincy. This article discusses the different levels of pastoral care: the facts told, the meanings people attribute to these facts, and the core of the conversation, that is the religious or existential aspects. We analyse the step from the level of facts to the level of meaning in pastoral care. The article then moves to the core of a conversation. In the respective paragraphs, case studies provide insights into how chaplains used questions to guide people from one level of communication to the next.

Theology of Science as an Intertextual Reading: The Bible, the Book of Nature, and Narrative Paradigm

The paper addresses the question of the identity of theology of science, fostering its interpretation as an intertextual narration. The starting point is the consideration of the domain of theology of science, which is viewed as a third domain of truth, according to Hans Urs von Balthasar. An analysis of the Swiss theologian’s perspective on this subject and the concept of God’s unknowability presents a strong counterargument to the claim that the natural sciences serve as a locus theologicus. Theology of science, nonetheless, exists and is engaged in a lively dialogue between science and theology, encompassing both the Revelation of God and the natural world or the Bible and the Book of Nature. What kind of discourse is this? This question concerns the position of theology of science within the field of science, specifically its objectivity and rigour, according to Evandro Agazzi’s analogical notion of science. Both the Bible and the Book of Nature ensure the objectivity of theology of science, while its rigour is established by the narrative paradigm. Therefore, theology of science can be seen as an intertextual narrative that engages both the Bible and the Book of Nature. The narrative paradigm of theology of science is subsequently elucidated, with particular emphasis on its cognitive aspects, narrative reasoning, the corresponding verification method, and Jewish corrective. The conclusion outlines a special task for theology of science in the modern age.

The idea of God as a condition for the reason functionning in Kant's transcendental Theology

According to I. Kant, reflecting on reality, the mind inevitably comes to the idea of an entity possessing the highest perfection and absolutely necessary by its nature. The idea of God as the supreme being is considered by transcendental theology as a hypothesis of pure reason, without which its practical application is impossible. The author of the article explores why and how the concept of God plays a coordinating role in the work of speculative reason. In this regard, the structure and tasks of Kant's transcendental theology are discussed, its problematic nature as a form of cognition, the prerequisites for the emergence of the idea of God in pure reason, the possibility of proving His existence solely based on a priori concepts, the problem of excluding empirical definitions from the idea of God. The idea of God is analyzed in the light of the natural tasks of the mind formulated by Kant, as a necessary condition for the possibility of achieving them. The study is based on the analysis of Kantian texts. These are mainly the works "The only possible basis for proving the existence of God" (1763), the First and Second criticisms, manuscripts from 1778-1780 (the so-called materials for the "Critique of Pure Reason"), Lectures on Rational Theology of the winter semester of 1783/84, etc. As a result of the research, it is shown that the idea of God acts as an unprovable position, which, nevertheless, the mind must accept, since this is necessary for the completeness of its application. The author explains the organizing role of the concept of God by its a priori "genetic" connection with such categories of pure reason as reality and necessity. The concept of God is "involved" in the work of these categories and is simultaneously shaped by their application. It allows, ultimately, to think about the order and expediency of reality and satisfies the requirement of reason to be economical with respect to the number of explanatory principles. The author's special contribution to the research of the topic is to demonstrate the specifics of the transcendental approach to the stated problem. It is shown that the unprovability of the existence of God is a necessary element of transcendental theology. The very idea of the supreme essence appears in it as a limit, indicating the limit of the possibilities of the mind. In this regard, it is productive, as it allows us to idealize, model consciousness and construct a different type of rationality within the boundaries of our understanding of our own mind.

Cultural Interpretation as a Theological Task in Northeast India

Recently, there have been attempts to develop contextual (tribal) Bible reading. While giving priority to these efforts, there appears to be neglect for the cultural interpretation of tribal communities in Northeast India. In light of this reality, as an exegete, I would argue that there is a need to learn to interpret culture to relevantly interpret and translate the text in each context/society. As a case in point of cultural interpretation, an attempt will be made to read the presence and emergence of the Tangkhul confessing community as a text analogue and also as a point of reference for reading-interpreting culture.

The Gospel of Pura Luka Vega: Queer Love, Irreverent Life, and Indecent Faith in the Margin

In this particular historical epoch described by many as a time of hypermasculinity and fascist populism, how do we think of emancipatory resistance and decolonizing spirituality that disrupts the patriarchal logic and destabilizes imperial structures that supply blood to the capillaries of our neoliberal order? Where do we locate and source the nerve impulse for our theological task to animate emancipatory praxis of our time? Moving away from the heterosexual theological discourse of emancipation, I suggest that queer life in the margin offers us a different theological vision and, importantly, better provides us with a theological voice that talks back to the system of domination and embraces the marginalized collective selves excluded in our time. Taking lessons from a drag performance, here I argue for a queer spirituality of resistance, one that is particularly angled at the hetero-patriarchal system. Channeling the blasphemous and rebellious spirit of Pura Luka Vega, a Filipino trans drag performer, I lay out a picture of why and what this could mean for people’s theology and I conclude this paper with a proposal for a new theological militant subject: an indecent and irreverent outlaw/outlawed.

A Kind of Social Theology for the Sake of Humanity

Abstract In this contribution to a review symposium on Jason Storm’s book, Metamodernism, Silakhe Singata and Cobus van Wyngaard explore key aspects of Storm’s proposal on the future of studies in the humanities, relate these aspects to the task of theology when situated as part of the humanities and respond to Storm’s constructive proposal for the humanities by tracing South African and African reflections on rehumanisation.

Museums of lie and truth: Speaking toward truth in our sermons

The search for truth becomes a challenging theological task in a world of lies and propaganda, being exhibited more and more openly. Inspired by two “Museums of Lies,” this paper aims to show how lies can be used to uncover a more profound truth by exposing them through a truth-seeking lens. While the homiletical task of “preaching the truth” is more complicated than it would seem at first glance, it is accompanied by the anthropological question, ‘Whether it is true’ (Karl Barth), and the theological question: ‘What is truth?’. The argument is that by observing what Martin Luther called “theologia crucis,” the task of preaching truth becomes dependent on the means and ways in which the Bible itself uncovers truth within our world of lies and by acknowledging that the discovery of truth can only be described as a process, at the beginning and end of which Jesus’ answer to Pilate may provide reassurance.

The Relationship between Theological Prolegomena and Imago Dei

Abstract If the content of theology should align with the method of doing theology, then carefully ensuring consistency between prolegomena and the content of dogmatics is essential for the theological task. Yet for many evangelical theologians, scarcity of prolegomenal considerations has led to systemic problems. Here I investigate how the doctrine of the image of God impinges upon our understanding of the nature of theological language, in order to expose a deep yet tacit inconsistency operative within recent evangelical accounts that affirm the univocity of theological predication. In contrast to these works, my claim is that a robust commitment to a comprehensive doctrine of the imago Dei entails an analogical view of human predications about God. In this regard, works in evangelical systematics that simultaneously affirm univocity and a robust doctrine of imago Dei have not sufficiently synthesized the content of their theology with their theological methodology.

Queer grace: an essay on the task of queer theology

ABSTRACT Is queer theology an impossible project? Queer theology which engages Edelman’s queer negativity oscillates around the negation of theology’s participation in upholding the anti-queerness which is fundamental to our social order. Drawing upon Marcella Althaus-Reid, Lee Edelman, Linn Tonstad, and Kent Brintnall, this essay upholds this as a necessary, but impossible, task for queer theology. Assessing this paradox constructively, I propose that it is impossible for queer theology to be sufficiently negative, due to theologians’ inability to maintain a vantage point outside the social and theological order we critique. This inability is a gift of queer grace. Queer grace orients us to the edge of theology’s capability to where God takes on the imperatives of our negative task, and to where we seek God’s eschatological transformation of ourselves, especially gendered and sexual selfhood.

Local Ownership of the Theological Task

Local Ownership of the Theological Task

The task of theology: ‘… bringing out of our treasures what is new and what is old’

The task of theology: ‘… bringing out of our treasures what is new and what is old’

인공지능 시대, 교회교육의 과제 : 아스머(Richard R. Osmer)의 실천신학의 네 가지 과제를 바탕으로

인공지능 시대, 교회교육의 과제 : 아스머(Richard R. Osmer)의 실천신학의 네 가지 과제를 바탕으로

The God of Chance and Purpose: Divine Involvement in a Secular Evolutionary World

The God of Chance and Purpose: Divine Involvement in a Secular Evolutionary World

THE PROGRESSIVE METHOD – GENETICS

The purpose of this article is to discover the use of the progressive-genetic method in the task of Old Testament Theology. This method is understood as the exposition or explanation of God’s Revelation as presented by the Bible, more specifically in the sense that Devine Revelation is centered on some covenant made by God with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and through Christ which all shows the organic existence of the Bible and biblical anatomy. In conclusion, in carrying out the task of Old Testament Theology, genetically progressive methodology can be used as a model in addition to other methodologies, which reveal God’s ever-evolving Revelation as revealed in the Bible that God gave or revealed to certain people named specifically by God self.

A Theological Critique of the National Security Act from the Perspective of Universal Human Rights

Freedom of thought and conscience are fundamental human rights and are guaranteed in a democratic society. The Constitution of the Republic of Korea states that “the state has the duty to affirm and guarantee the inviolable and fundamental human rights of individuals”(Article 10). However, in South Korean society, this common sense goes out the window the moment someone is labeled a “bbalgaengyi” (reds) or a “jongbukjueuija” (followers of North Korea). This is because the National Security Act legally supports a divided country with anti-communism at the forefront. When it was first enacted in 1948, it was seen as a temporary device to maintain authoritarianism under the divided system, but the reality was different. Even as political democratization has progressed and inter-Korean relations have improved, it has remained powerful as a device for restricting popular movements and unification movements and controlling ideas. It has not only restricted social movements but also controlled academic and artistic activities and regulated people’s inner worlds. The National Security Act has been controversial since the 1987 democratization, but it is still alive and well in 2023. For a long time, research on the National Security Act was a taboo subject that was not easily accessible because it could be considered a violation of the law. Adding to the difficulty of research was the lack of access to documentation of cases where the law was applied. With the democratization of 1987 and the development of the Northern Policy and inter-Korean relations in the early 1990s, the environment was ripe for rethinking the meaning of the National Security Act. Pioneering studies before and after 1990 and the Constitutional Court’s unconstitutionality review process, which began in 1990, led to a serious examination of its legal issues. Theological commentary on the National Security Act is scarce. Not only from the point of view of the church, which was responsible for integrating the public into the anti-communist ideology during the formation and development of the pro- American anti-communist state, but also from the point of view of Minjung theology. For theologians, too, it was not a simple matter to overcome the taboo of anti-communism. They were always conscious of the limits of that taboo, and when they crossed them, they were bound to face the swift blade of state power. In the absence of a theological response to the National Security Act, this article begins that discussion. Approaching it from a theological position is based on an awareness of universal human rights that can no longer be avoided as a theological task today. After articulating that position, this article briefly reaffirms the problems with the National Security Act and addresses the issues of the rule of law and human dignity.