Theological Program Research Articles

Ernst Troeltsch and Mysticism

Abstract Although the ‘mystical’ character of Ernst Troeltsch’s theological programme is controversial, the fact that ‘mysticism’ played an eminent role in his analysis of modern Christianity can hardly be denied. This article first spells out the different aspects of Troeltsch’s concept of mysticism (Mystik) against the background of contemporary theological and religious developments. On the one hand, the highly critical discourse on mysticism of the dominant Ritschl School is highlighted and on the other hand, the proliferation of all sorts of ‘mystical’ religiosity in Germany around 1900 is discussed. Secondly, it is shown that Troeltsch distanced himself to a large extent from the critics of mysticism. In fact, he takes the concept of mysticism to denote a typical, modern, individualistic form of piety and theology. Thirdly, attention is given to the fact that Troeltsch adopts the mystical terminology to describe his own position and uses it to develop his ecclesiology. Fourthly, Troeltsch’s view of the relationship between (individualist) mysticism and ethics is discussed. In his view, mysticism does not imply quietism, but an active engagement in church and worldly matters. All in all, this contribution underscores the importance of Christian mysticism for Troeltsch’s personal belief and piety as well as for his ‘mystical’ conceptualization of religion.

Carl F. H. Henry on the Problem of (Good and) Evil

Abstract Carl Henry devotes a few chapters directly (and a few indirectly) in volume 6 of his God, Revelation, and Authority [GRA] to the problem of evil [POE]. The author examines Henry’s contribution as a theologian, noting that GRA is a work of theology, not philosophy proper. However, Henry had a PhD in Philosophy (Boston, 1949), and one finds present several presuppositions and control beliefs that are philosophically motivated. Observation of the text reveals several of these. Chief here is Henry’s working assumption that to understand and explain the nature of evil, one must first understand and explain the nature, origin and etiology of good. This point and its implications are developed at length in this article. Unsurprising is Henry’s contribution exhibiting an awareness of methods and theodical approaches traditionally used by philosophers of religion such as Rowe, Plantinga, and Hick. Surprising is the fact that Henry does not clearly take a side on the nature of human free will. What he does say seems to underdetermine his exact position. Finally, the importance of Kant vis a vis Henry’s theodicy and entire theological program is emphasized as well.

The Vocation of the Theologian

The Vocation of the Theologian James L. Heft SM (bio) It is an honor to have been invited to speak at the convocation for the faculty of theology and the continuing education division of the University of St. Michael's College. This gathering also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the doctoral program of theology, which degree I was privileged to receive here in 1977. I have almost nothing but fond memories of my years here in Toronto, of the excellent faculty and fellow students. There was, however, one not so pleasant memory. In 1969, when I began my graduate studies, the Vietnam War continued to profoundly divide the United States. At that time, I was driving a car that had an Ohio license plate, and was twice pelted with eggs. For the record, I opposed that war. In those days, as one of my Canadian professors told me, "Americans are as benignly ignorant of Canadians as Canadians are maliciously informed about Americans." Over the next seven years, I overcame my ignorance of Canada and have developed and retain a great affection for its peoples. I am not here this afternoon to tell old war stories, to comment [End Page 127] on the legalization of pot in Canada or on last Tuesday's mid-term elections in the United States. I am here to speak about something much more important: the sacred calling of being theologians. Walter Burghardt (To Christ I Look, 98–99) reminded theologians that they deal with mystery, before which the most appropriate posture is silence and contemplation. Before we sit at a desk and write, or stand before others and teach, we should be on our knees in prayer. We distort the mystery of God whenever we try to possess it or imagine that we can capture it conceptually. Although the reality of God and God's revelation is objective, it should never be objectified. Good theologians are not spectators. One of my favorite atheists, Frederick Nietzsche, wrote: "For this is the truth: I have left the house of scholars and slammed the door behind me. Too long did my soul sit hungry at their table; I have not been schooled, as they have, to crack knowledge as one cracks nuts … they sit cool in the cool shade: they want to be mere spectators in everything; they take care not to sit where the sun burns upon the steps" (Thus Spake Zarathustra, 147). Some years ago a student sent me an e-mail complaining about her theology professor who, in Nietzsche's words, left her hungry at his table. She wrote, "Every theology course I have endured seemed like logicians parsing a love letter." I do not remember how I responded, but it should be obvious that theologians need to be on the field, in the contest, and, as St. Paul tells us, gratefully running the race. If we remain spectators in the stands, we will never really understand the game. In other words, when theologians are personally involved with and committed to what they study and teach, students are nourished, not bored. Forty-five years ago, in the chapel across the street at 95 St. Joseph Street, I heard a homily that I have never forgotten. Basilian priest Bill Irwin based it on a question from the Summa theologiae (III, q. 42) in which St. Thomas asks whether Jesus should have written down what he taught. Thomas, as you know, structures his questions in a predictable way. First, he gives several reasons to answer positively the question he posed; then he states his own position; and [End Page 128] finally, he answers, in the light of his own position, the questions he posed at the beginning. Let me summarize how Thomas handles this fascinating question. He begins by presenting three reasons why Christ should have written down his teachings. First, he writes that since Christ said that his doctrine is supposed to last till the end of time, it would have been fitting for him to put it in writing so that it might more easily and more accurately be handed down to posterity. Second, he cites the biblical precedent of the...

РЕЛИГИЯ И НАУКА: КОНФЛИКТ ИЛИ ДИАЛОГ? (ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ МИРОВОЗЗРЕНЧЕСКИХ И СОЦИАЛЬНЫХ ПРОТИВОРЕЧИЙ В РОССИЙСКОМ ОБЩЕСТВЕ)

The article is devoted to the study of the worldviews and social contradictions in Russian society on the example of two different positions on the relationship between religion and science. According to one of these positions these relationships are defined as conflict. The second, opposing point of view says there never was and there cannot be any conflict between religion and science. In the publication such points are called “the paradigm of conflict” and “the paradigm of dialogue”. It shows, the first “paradigm” in the Soviet period of Russian history was determined by ideologization of science and was an important part of anti-religious propaganda. On the contrary, “the paradigm of dialogue” has always been represented primarily by religious thinkers. Today it is the official position of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The official Church document “The Basis of the Social Concept” says religion and science are designed to complement each other, especially in solving ethical problems that inevitably arise in the face of modern science. However, secular scientists often see in such statements the Church’s claims to active participation in the public life, including the educational process. Representatives of the academic community often speak out against the introduction of the theological educational programs and the theological departments in secular Universities of the Russian Federation. Thus, in contemporary Russian society some continue to believe that there is a conflict between religion and science, while others insist on the need for dialogue.

Revisiting the Agenda of the Orthodox Neo-Patristic Movement

The Neo-Patristic movement’s program to liberate Orthodox theology from the influences of Western scholasticism is one of the many reasons that explain the consolidation of anti-Western feelings in some Orthodox circles today. Although the basic principles of the Neo-Patristic movement could represent, if misunderstood, a source of inspiration for the fundamentalist groups, this article argues that the position of the Neo-Patristic direction vis-à-vis the West cannot be reduced to its efforts to free theology from scholastic influences. To support this argument, the article turns to Dumitru Stăniloae, a leading Neo-Patristic figure, and shows that his theological program has been guided by two main axes: on the one hand, the quest for an authentic restauratio patristica in Orthodoxy, which frees theology from Western scholastic influences and restores the ethos of Eastern Christianity; one the other hand, a genuine interest to engage himself in a constructive dialogue with contemporary Western theology.

Gadamer and Pannenberg

Theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg, in his response to Hans-Georg Gadamer’s Wahrheit Und Methode, challenged his hermeneutics by noting the following two things. First, Gadamer discusses the “speculative element” of language, emphasizing “the infinity of what is not said” behind words, and in doing so, according to Pannenberg, disregards the “statement” (Aussage) as a form of language, which enables a sentence to unequivocally designate and describe an objective state of affairs. Although this criticism itself is valid, this is not a problem of “either/ or”. The two aspects of language they put forward should be in a reciprocal relationship. Second, Pannenberg argued that Gadamer’s hermeneutics and his concept of a “fusion of horizons” necessarily merge into Pannenberg’s own theological program, namely universal history. Being convinced that history should always include the horizon of the future, this philosopher could not agree to the theologian’s program, perhaps because it presupposes the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as an objective historical fact.

Jan Amos Comenius’s Trinitarian and Conciliar Vision of a United Europe: Christ as the Universal ‘Centre of Security’

ABSTRACTThis article explores Jan Amos Comenius’s vision of a Christian united Europe and its connection to his theological programme of reform. This is manifest first of all in his linguistic projects, in which he sought to break down the language barriers separating Christians both from each other and from the mission field of the New World, but it came to fruition especially in his comprehensive reform project of pansophia, especially as this was represented in his massive Consultatio catholica. For it is here that Comenius expands on his dream of a union of nations under one Christian religion. In this, Christ who transcends time and space, uniting in himself all the diverse aspirations of the nations, is revealed as the global ‘centre of security.’ Importantly, Comenius’s expression of this is profoundly indebted to Nicholas of Cusa and the article concludes by highlighting Comenius’s own Trinitarian and conciliar vision of Christian Europe.

Die <i>Fresh Expression</i> beweging en die Hervormde Kerk – ’n nuwe manier van kerkwees?

The Fresh Expression movement is well-known in Great Britain and other Western countries like the USA, Australia and lately South Africa. During 2013, a task team launched two pilot courses in Cape Town and George that marked the beginning of Fresh Expressions in South Africa. The Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa – NRCA) exposed 125 of her pastors to the Fresh Expression movement by means of the annual continuous theological training program during 2015. Three of the pastors underwent the ‘Train the Trainer’ course and are currently involved in the presentation of courses in the Pretoria region. The Fresh Expression movement hold the possibility for pioneers in church planting to reach the people who have no ties with the established church. By entering a certain context, faith communities are established by means of listening to the people in their context, serving them in a loving way, creating a community, evangelise and discipling them and starting their own unique way of worshipping. The new faith communities are not in competition with the established church but it is rather a question of a mixed economy where different types of church exists alongside each other in mutual respect and support. This study tries to establish basic criteria to distinguish a Fresh Expression from random missional outreaches by a congregation. Two potential Fresh Expressions in the NRCA were evaluated by the set criteria.

Is Bultmann a Heideggerian theologian?

AbstractEver since the 1920s, Rudolf Bultmann has been charged with confining theology to philosophy, owing to his naïve adoption of Martin Heidegger's existentialist ontology. Bultmann's personal friendship with Heidegger is well-known, and the presence of Heideggerian concepts throughout his work is impossible to miss. But there is a great deal of confusion over the details of this relationship, and scholars differ widely over what conclusions we ought to draw regarding the nature of Bultmann's work. This article reassesses the Bultmann–Heidegger relationship from three angles. First, I show that the essential elements of Bultmann's theology were already in place before he met or learnt from Heidegger. Second, I argue that Bultmann circumscribes Heidegger's philosophy within a theology of revelation. Third, I demonstrate that his theological programme is, in principle, open to other conceptualities. Since nothing material rests on the appropriation of Heidegger, one cannot accurately call Bultmann a Heideggerian theologian.

The Theological Program of the Council of Crete (Notes on the Decisions of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church)

The Theological Program of the Council of Crete (Notes on the Decisions of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church)

The Virtual Classroom and the Local Church

In his important 2005 analysis of the Catholic Church in America, Peter Steinfels observed that in some respects, the future of lay parish ministry is assured. Catholics are willing. The church needs them. The parish of 2025 will employ them. What remains to be determined is who will be drawn to these positions and how they will be trained, appointed, promoted, retained, and supported in their work and their personal spiritual growth. With sufficient neglect and discouragement, of course, their numbers could level off…, turnover could increase, those with greatest potential for leadership could be driven away, or polarization that has injured other aspects of lay parish ministry could settle in here, too. How will they be trained? Traditional university programs, of course, will continue to do the job for a relatively small body of professionals. But many potential lay ministers are not in a position to go to the universities that offer graduate degree programs in theology or religious education. There are financial and geographic obstacles facing many who are “willing” and who might possess great “potential for leadership.” They live in remote parts of the country or are stationed in military bases around the world, and the cost of spending years on a campus with a graduate theology program is not financially realistic. The local churches need their involvement in ministry; some of these potential leaders are now being trained in online programs.

Fiery Heart and Fiery Tongue

The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of the emotions in the Ecclesiastes as they come to bear on Erasmus’ understanding of teaching and learning in the context of the Christian sermon and the relationship between the preacher and the congregation. The emotions do not only feature in Erasmus’ attempts to adjudicate the manner in which it is incumbent upon the preacher to move the congregation, but a specifically Christian sort of affectivity governs the way in which Erasmus imagines the preacher to be learned, and thus also to teach. As a result of its breadth and depth in covering an array of topics relevant to cultivating learned piety in the context of Christian preaching, the Ecclesiastes represents the most detailed treatment Erasmus offered of the importance of emotion in numerous areas of Christian thought and life. And without close attention to the affective aspects of Erasmus’ ideal method of teaching and preaching, one simply cannot provide an adequate account of the humanist’s theological program of learned piety.

Book Review: Commentary on the Sentences: Philosophy of God. Works of St. Bonaventure, Volume XVI

Commentary on the Sentences: Philosophy of God. Works of St. Bonaventure, Volume XVI. Bonaventure Texts in Translation Series. Translation, introduction, and notes by R. E. Houser and Timothy B. Noone. Saint Bonaventure, N.Y.: The Franciscan Institute, 2013. Ixxii + 344 pp. $49.95 (paper).This volume presents annotated translations of selections from books 1 and 3 of Saint Bonaventure's Commentary on the Sentences. Bonaventure wrote his Commentary on Peter Lombards Sentences from 1250 to 1252 and revised it after becoming a Master of Theology. It remained his major philosophical and theological work. In these selections he discusses the nature and knowledge of God, drawing extensively on the philosophy of his day, particularly Aristotle's categories.The volume begins with an excellent introduction by editors R. E. Houser and Timothy B. Noone, which sketches the life and career of Bonaventure and gives an overview of his intellectual context. The editors briefly explain Bonaventure's understanding of the relationship of faith and reason, then summarize and comment upon the chief arguments in his attempt to develop an understanding of God on the model of an Aristotelian science. In addition to this well-written and informative introduction, Bonaventure's texts are excellently annotated, so that the reader has ready access to information on his sources, summations of his key arguments, and an understanding of the intellectual heritage upon which he drew.Topic 1 discusses the subject of the book, the relationship of faith to scientific knowledge, and the nature of faith as a form of knowledge. Bonaventure uses his method of reduction, tracing sense objects back to their first cause in God, to argue that God is the subject of this book, as the principle to which everything can be reduced. Christ, as the integral whole, is the subject to which all conclusions are reduced. The subject as a universal whole is the object of belief. With the aid of philosophical reasoning, Bonaventure seeks to make this object more intelligible, thus taking up Anselm's program of theology as faith seeking understanding.Topic 2 discusses whether God can be known. For Bonaventure, people are wayfarers, who in this life can only have a partial knowledge of God. This will be perfected with the coming of the eschaton. In regards to knowledge of God, reason can clarify the knowledge of faith so that it becomes wisdom, but reason remains dependent upon faith. Topic 3 treats philosophical arguments for the existence of God and introduces a crucial distinction in Bonaventure's metaphysics between the simplicity of God and the nature of creation as a mixture of being and non-being. …

So What If Horses Would Draw Horse Gods?

Xenophanes famously noted that if horses could draw, they would draw their gods as horses. This connection between those who depict the gods and how the gods are depicted is posed as part of a critical theological program. What follows is an argumentative reconstruction of how these observations determine the extent and content of Xenophanes’ theological reforms. In light of the strength of the critical epistemic program, it is likely Xenophanes posed ambitious theological reforms.

Intercultural Team Teaching as a Pedagogical Model for Intercultural Collaboration in Global Theological Education

The concept of team teaching is not new, but based on her qualitative research findings the author has conceptualized intercultural team teaching in the field of theological education and its implications for global theological education. This article introduces the model that emerged from a bilingual qualitative case study exploring the contextual appropriateness of a graduate theological program in Korean at a North American theological school. How does teaching and learning happen across languages and cultures in the theological classroom? By design, intercultural team teaching can be a pedagogical model for intercultural collaboration in global theological education.

When the thin small voice whispers: Richard Kearney’s Anatheism and the postsecular discernment of spirits

What meaning does the theological notion of discernment have in a postsecular cultural condition? Three levels of the meaning of postsecular are distinguished: first, the ‘postsecular’, as a notion that characterises a cultural condition, mainly in Western society, full of diverse religious expressions; second, ‘postsecularity’, as a reflective model for interpreting religious expressions and behaviour; and third, ‘postsecularism’, as a cultural-philosophical or theological programme. After elucidating the concept of the postsecular, we consider some key elements in discernment, investigating the subject, the nature and the object of discernment. We then turn to Richard Kearney’s Anatheism as a fine example of how the notion of discernment receives a new usage in postsecular reflection. We ponder upon his idea of discernment as ‘prereflective carnal response to the advent of the Other’ and reflect upon its meaning for postsecular thinking. The concluding section offers a consideration of the meaning of Kearney’s interpretation of discernment for judgement in postsecular culture.

Expertise and Service: A Call to Action

Although theological librarianship occurs most often at seminaries or graduate level theology programs, there are also librarians working with theology on an undergraduate level. In many cases, these librarians are responsible for additional subject areas and may or may not have any theological expertise or training. While the two groups do the same types of work, they are doing so in different ways. To explore these commonalities and differences, a study was conducted among undergraduate theology liaisons and those results were compared with the literature and data regarding graduate level theological librarianship. One hundred ten undergraduate librarians responded to a survey regarding theological liaison activities, and the results indicate both the need for more research and the need for further emphasis on undergraduate subject-area liaison duties in theology and adjacent areas.

The Endorsement of Royal-Episcopal Collaboration in the FredegarChronica

The terse and politically oriented narrative of the seventh-century chronicle attributed to Fredegar often has been compared unfavorably to one of its principal sources, Gregory of Tours'sDecem Libri Historiarum, a complex and layered composition in which historical and theological programs converge. Although a superficial comparison with Gregory'sHistoriaewould seem to indicate Fredegar's own relative disengagement from ecclesiastical and spiritual concerns, a closer examination of theChronicareveals a programmatic effort to endorse royal-episcopal collaboration so that thepax ecclesiaemight be preserved and earthly governance perfected. Writing, as he believed, in the end times, Fredegar shared Gregory of Tours's eschatological conviction that such collaboration would help to prepare theregnum Francorumfor final judgment. A close examination of those twenty-one cases in which Fredegar refers explicitly to the involvement of bishops in court affairs suggests the chronicler's conviction that the professional, political, and spiritual obligations of Frankish bishops were not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, theChronica's ecclesiastical topography, while limited geographically and personalized according to Fredegar's attachment to specific cults and institutions, provides the setting for the author's collaborative ideal, with holy places providing both a context and an impetus for the integration of royal and clerical agendas. While Fredegar recognized signs of divine judgment everywhere, the chronicler's perspective ultimately was optimistic, envisioning aregnum Francorumcleansed of oppression by the judgment of God, preparing the way for the perfection of the world in the age to come.

The Endorsement of Royal-Episcopal Collaboration in the Fredegar Chronica

The terse and politically oriented narrative of the seventh-century chronicle attributed to Fredegar often has been compared unfavorably to one of its principal sources, Gregory of Tours’s Decem Libri Historiarum , a complex and layered composition in which historical and theological programs converge. Although a superficial comparison with Gregory’s Historiae would seem to indicate Fredegar’s own relative disengagement from ecclesiastical and spiritual concerns, a closer examination of the Chronica reveals a programmatic effort to endorse royal-episcopal collaboration so that the pax ecclesiae might be preserved and earthly governance perfected. Writing, as he believed, in the end times, Fredegar shared Gregory of Tours’s eschatological conviction that such collaboration would help to prepare the regnum Francorum for final judgment. A close examination of those twenty-one cases in which Fredegar refers explicitly to the involvement of bishops in court affairs suggests the chronicler’s conviction that the professional, political, and spiritual obligations of Frankish bishops were not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, the Chronica’s ecclesiastical topography, while limited geographically and personalized according to Fredegar’s attachment to specific cults and institutions, provides the setting for the author’s collaborative ideal, with holy places providing both a context and an impetus for the integration of royal and clerical agendas. While Fredegar recognized signs of divine judgment everywhere, the chronicler’s perspective ultimately was optimistic, envisioning a regnum Francorum cleansed of oppression by the judgment of God, preparing the way for the perfection of the world in the age to come.

Placing Holistic Mission at the Centre of Theological Studies: Curricular Options at a Brazilian Theological Seminary

This article describes the curriculum review process at Faculdade Teológica Sul Americana (Brazil), the aim of which was to bring a holistic mission perspective to the Centre’s theological studies program. Three options that involved the school’s curricular ideology, epistemological/methodological perspective and classroom practice are analysed in dialogue with curriculum and educational theories.