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    Cahalan, Kathleen A. and James R. Nieman, Mapping The Field of Practical Theology

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    Hyunwoo Koo
    This summary provides an overview of the key points made in the document: The document discusses mapping the field of practical theology and identifies it as a challenge because what constitutes practical theology can be interpreted in many different ways. It presents five examples of practical theology in action that illustrate its diverse expressions, including a pastor teaching life skills, a professor reconsidering her scholarly focus after hearing stories of hardship faced by children, and a congregation testing new ideas after a difficult period. The document aims to illuminate practical theology as a diverse field with internal connections between its varied expressions.

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    Cahalan, Kathleen A. and James R. Nieman, Mapping The Field of Practical Theology

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    Hyunwoo Koo
    33 views13 pages
    This summary provides an overview of the key points made in the document: The document discusses mapping the field of practical theology and identifies it as a challenge because what constitutes practical theology can be interpreted in many different ways. It presents five examples of practical theology in action that illustrate its diverse expressions, including a pastor teaching life skills, a professor reconsidering her scholarly focus after hearing stories of hardship faced by children, and a congregation testing new ideas after a difficult period. The document aims to illuminate practical theology as a diverse field with internal connections between its varied expressions.

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    Cahalan, Kathleen A. and James R. Nieman, Mapping the Field of Practical Theology

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    This summary provides an overview of the key points made in the document: The document discusses mapping the field of practical theology and identifies it as a challenge because what constitutes practical theology can be interpreted in many different ways. It presents five examples of practical theology in action that illustrate its diverse expressions, including a pastor teaching life skills, a professor reconsidering her scholarly focus after hearing stories of hardship faced by children, and a congregation testing new ideas after a difficult period. The document aims to illuminate practical theology as a diverse field with internal connections between its varied expressions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    33 views13 pages

    Cahalan, Kathleen A. and James R. Nieman, Mapping The Field of Practical Theology

    Uploaded by

    Hyunwoo Koo
    This summary provides an overview of the key points made in the document: The document discusses mapping the field of practical theology and identifies it as a challenge because what constitutes practical theology can be interpreted in many different ways. It presents five examples of practical theology in action that illustrate its diverse expressions, including a pastor teaching life skills, a professor reconsidering her scholarly focus after hearing stories of hardship faced by children, and a congregation testing new ideas after a difficult period. The document aims to illuminate practical theology as a diverse field with internal connections between its varied expressions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 13

    Cahalan, Kathleen and James Nieman, “Mapping the Field of Practical Theology,” pp.

    62-85 in Bass, Dorothy C., ed. For Life Abundant: Practical Theology, Theological
    Education, and Christian Ministry. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2008. Mapping the Field of Practical Theology

    that it must have been a long time since they knew a pastor who an­
    swered, "Yes."
    3. Mapping the Field of Practical Theology
    Ea:nestly the students performed the funeral liturgy: words correct,
    Kathleen A. Cahalan and James R. Nieman voices strong, but bodies leaden. Their teacher recognized not just the
    plo�ding, bu: how this artlessness undercut the mystery of the rite.
    �ut�kly cleanng the room offurniture, he told them just to start walking
    tn silence, back and forth, round in circles, however it happened. First
    came embarrassed smiles, next quiet concentration, and finally one of
    them s�w how they were moving like an ensemble, every step in rhythm.
    How did that happen without a word? And then the learning began.

    The panelists, respected scholars in pastoral care and Christi�n educa­


    tion, addressed a noble-sounding topic: "Global Perspectives on Child­
    Their work was so basic. Every week, he gathered a dozen of his younger hood." In truth, �hough, the homiletics professor attended mostly out of
    clients to learn what many people took for granted: parenting, nutrition, duty, for the sub;ect was far from her research. Besides, she knew all the
    budgets, ordinary life skills. Twenty-three years in social work had taught
    f�cts. As the stories emerged, though, tales of poverty, illness, slavery, and
    him that these skills were far from commonplace, however, and their ab­
    vwlence faced by children younger than her own, suddenly she began to
    sence produced a cycle of crisis. As that cycle gradually bega n to slow, he
    hear. Why had she not considered this worthy of her scholarly attention?
    learned something more: the dreams and disappointments of these peo­
    What if others in her field began to think the same?
    ple, the fabric of their spiritual lives. As a person of active faith, he had
    never fully considered that these matters might also need his attention.

    They called themselves "The Church in the Middle," an uninspiring nick­ �en you hear the phrase "practical theology," what comes to mind? Of­
    fermg a sturdy reply to this question is one of the persistent challenges we
    name. Located halfway down the main street of town, this was also their
    face, because the question admits of so many answers. The five scenes
    place on the religious spectrum: neither strident nor secretive, neither
    above suggest rather different visions for what practical theology can be,
    dogmatic nor docile, but vaguely in between. Unlike other congregations,
    yet each seems to �ave little in common with the others. Of course, they
    however, they held an annual community dinner, simply a time to meet
    others and enjoy good food. The elders viewed it another way, thoug/·1: as �re not utterly unalike. Each portrays actual situations faced by Christians
    m the course of everyday life. Each involves discerning those situations and
    a way to teach the ropes of leadership to their teens. Other members also what to do next in a faithful, intentional way. Each calls forth a wider wis­
    saw in it so.mething more, a chance to sit with folks and just listen. dom that offers insight and imagination to that discernment. Yet what are
    we to make of their divergence? These scenes present distinctive life set­
    A disastrous decade had left its scars. She was now the fifth pastor in that tings, vocational r ?les, kinds of authority, scopes of impact, and even ways
    . _
    period, following in the wake of her predecessors' scandals, arrogance, ?f domg theol?gy itself. Addmg to the confusion, scholars have argued that
    and incompetence. Unsurprisingly, the congregation had become wary, mstances as divers: as these are genuine forms of practical theology, but
    ingrown, steeled against further abuse, and dwindling. Yet there were they have not clarified what these situations' connection to each other
    signs of still trying to be the clwrch, quiet ideas tentatively floated in con­ might actually be.
    versations, meetings, or times of fellowship. "Could we . . . ?" they won­
    Qur ajm in this.�!?say.is to illumine practi.c�l theology as.aJi.eld wit:4 a,
    dered. "We had this idea . . . would you be interested?" It seemed to her

    62

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