Theological Reflection involves a focused conversation that engages, personally and communally, three elements

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Theological Reflection involves a focused
conversation that engages, personally and
communally, three elements
TRADITION




CULTURE/CONTEXT
EXPERIENCE
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TRADITION
Scripture Creeds Councils Liturgy
Piety Stories Ecumenism History
Canon law Lives of saints Religious
orders Mystics Magisterium
Memories Charisms Family history Education
Relationships Social Location Travel
Work Health Heritage Ethnicity
Geography
Psychology AnthropologySociology Arts
Philosophy Movies Advertising Media
Politics Language Customs Poetry
Literature Cyber
CULTURE/CONTEXT




EXPERIENCE
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Theological Reflection serves both to interpret
lifes experiences in light of Gods purposes in
Jesus, and to understand the Christian story
about God in the light of what we are
experiencing day to day (Gula, Ethics in
Pastoral Ministry, 54)
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Receiving the power of our Christian Heritage,
so we can live. . . .Unless adult Christians
engage in critical and conscious theological
reflection, the Christian communitys
faithfulness to the gospel and its authentic
witness to that gospel in the world diminishes
(Killen and deBeer, The Art of Theological
Reflection, vii-viii)
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Theological Reflection seeks to allow the reality
of theology to come through its distinct form,
namely, experience correlated with tradition for
the sake of praxis (Kinast, WATSA Theological
Reflection, 2-3)
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Faith seeking understanding St. Anselm The
discipline that interprets all realityhuman
existence, society, history, the world and Godin
terms of the symbols of the Christian faith
(Haight, Dynamics, 216)
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EXPERIENCE IS INCARNATIONAL AND
REVELATORY THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION FACILITATES
ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING GOD FOR THE SAKE OF
PRAXIS
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FOR THE SAKE OF PRAXIS
Theological Reflection as Practical
Theology Practices are theory-laden
See Don Browning, Fundamental Practical Theology.
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Theory-laden practice

• Vision
• Obligations
• Tendencies/human needs
• Environment social, cultural economic
• Rules/roles

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FOR THE SAKE OF PRAXIS

• Begin with a thick description of a practice
• Discern a thick question to put into
  conversation with the Christian Tradition
• Outcome practical wisdom, new theory-laden
  practice

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FOR THE SAKE OF PRAXIS
Theological Reflection as Practical
Theology Practices are theory-laden

• Vision
• Obligations
• Tendencies/human needs
• Environment social, cultural economic
• Rules/roles

• Begin with a thick description of a practice
• Discern a thick question to put into
  conversation with the Christian Tradition
• Outcome practical wisdom, new theory-laden
  practice

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Theology as Interpretation
ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING GOD

• What happens
• Presuppositions/ 1st Naiveté
• Critical Inquiry/ distanciation
• AESTHETIC SURRENDER
• Appropriation/ 2nd Naiveté

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Theology as Interpretation
ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING GOD

• How it happens
• Attending
• Asserting
• conflict as a crucible
• Acting (See Evelyn and James Whitehead, Method
  in Ministry)

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EXPERIENCE IS REVELATORY

• Accessing our experience is critical
• When we enter reality we are entering divine
  mystery
• In the interpretive conversation we will meet God
  and ourselves and the other
• Outcomes Identity, Authority, Responsibility
  renewed practice