Introducing Practical Theology

Author: Pete Ward
Publisher: Baker Academic
ISBN: 1493410830
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Book Description
This introduction to the field of practical theology reclaims a theological vision for the life and work of the church. Pete Ward dispels the myth that practical theology is a distraction from the "real" tasks of ministry or from serious academic theological work. He argues that practical theology is part of the everyday life of the church and that there are a variety of possible approaches, helping readers evaluate the approach that is most appropriate to their ministerial context and theological tradition. This reliable, accessible resource will work well for those in training or in ministry.

Practical Theology

Author: Richard R. Osmer
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 0802817653
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Book Description
Every church congregation encounters challenging situations, some the same the world over, and others specific to each church. Richard Osmer here seeks to teach congregational leaders -- including, but not limited to, clergy -- the requisite knowledge and skills to meet such situations with sensitivity and creativity. Osmer develops a framework for practical theological interpretation in congregations by focusing on four key questions: What is going on in a given context? Why is this going on? What ought to be going on? and How might the leader shape the context to better embody Christian witness and mission? The book is unique in its attention to interdisciplinary issues and the ways that theological reflection is grounded in the spirituality of leaders. Useful, accessible, and lively -- with lots of specific examples and case studies -- Osmer's Practical Theology effectively equips congregational leaders to guide their communities with theological integrity.

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church (Foreword by Thomas R. Schreiner)

Author: Michael Lawrence
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433524635
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Book Description
Capitol Hill Baptist Church associate pastor Michael Lawrence contributes to the IXMarks series as he centers on the practical importance of biblical theology to ministry. He begins with an examination of a pastor's tools of the trade: exegesis and biblical and systematic theology. The book distinguishes between the power of narrative in biblical theology and the power of application in systematic theology, but also emphasizes the importance of their collaboration in ministry. Having laid the foundation for pastoral ministry, Lawrence uses the three tools to build a biblical theology, telling the entire story of the Bible from five different angles. He puts biblical theology to work in four areas: counseling, missions, caring for the poor, and church/state relations. Rich in application and practical insight, this book will equip pastors and church leaders to think, preach, and do ministry through the framework of biblical theology.

Liquid Ecclesiology

Author: Pete Ward
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004347356
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Book Description
In Liquid Ecclesiology Pete Ward explores the theological contours of the turn to ethnography in the study of the Christian Church. His approach rests on a theology of culture that holds in tension and paradox the expression of the Church and divine presence. This theological framework is then developed through an extended qualitative empirical case study examining the communicative practices of the contemporary evangelical Church. The case study examines how the evangelical Gospel through expression has become marginalised in the everyday life of communities being replaced by a new more individual and personalised theology seen in worship songs. The final section of the book returns to the debates around ethnographic forms of theology and the question of normativity. This book will be of interest to all those engaged in empirical and theological work, as well as those researching the contemporary Church and evangelicalism

Practicing Theology

Author: Miroslav Volf
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 9780802849311
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
In a time when academic theology often neglects the lived practices of the Christian community, this volume seeks to bring balance to the situation by showing the dynamic link between the task of theology and the practices of the Christian life. The work of thirteen first-rate theologians from several cultural and Christian perspectives, these informed and informative essays explore the relationship between Christian theology and practice in the daily lives of believers, in the ministry of Christian communities, and as a needed focus within Christian education. Contributors: Dorothy C. Bass Nancy Bedford Gilbert Bond Sarah Coakley Craig Dykstra Reinhard Hütter L. Gregory Jones Serene Jones Amy Plantinga Pauw Christine Pohl Kathryn Tanner Miroslav Volf Tammy Williams

A Fundamental Practical Theology

Author: Don S. Browning
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 9781451406900
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Book Description
On congregational care, religious education, theological education, clinical pastoral education and church consultation.

A Guide to Theological Reflection

Author: Jim Wilson
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
ISBN: 0310093945
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 186

Book Description
Feedback and evaluation, both of oneself and by others, are the lifeblood of a successful ministry experience. In A Guide to Theological Reflection, experienced practical ministry professors Jim Wilson and Earl Waggoner introduce the processes and tools of theological reflection for ministry. Effective evaluation includes critique and potential course correction for the honest and willing minister, as well as positive affirmation of how one's desires influence good ministry decisions. A Guide to Theological Reflection introduces tools by which a minister can interact with his or her own thoughts, beliefs, and feelings; external feedback, such as that of a ministry supervisor; and Scripture to inform deep and transformative theological reflection. Designed as a textbook for practical ministry courses and theological field education, A Guide to Theological Reflection can also be used in ministry contexts. It provides guidance for students, ministers-in-training, mentors, and advisors, laying a theoretical foundation for theological reflection and demonstrating step-by-step how to practice it well.

Practical Theology

Author: Gerben Heitink
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 9780802842947
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Book Description
This work by a leading figure in the field offers one of the first attempts to formulate a complete theory of practical theology for scholars, teachers, students, and those directly involved in pastoral ministry.. "Designed to serve as a reference tool, this volume provides the necessary theoretical discussion for work in the entire discipline of practical theology. Gerben Heitink first surveys the historical development of practical theology from the thought of Schleiermacher to the present. He then outlines the theoretical aspects of practical theology, looking especially at the hermeneutical, empirical, and strategic points of view. Finally Heitink discusses the various contexts in which practical theology takes place.

Practical Theology and Qualitative Research

Author: John Swinton
Publisher: SCM Press
ISBN: 033404796X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 478

Book Description
Practical Theology used to be a subject where students were left to fend for themselves, using what they had learnt from their scholarly studies in history, biblical and systematic theology and applying it where they could. Things have moved on however and practical theology is a growing discipline in its own right, and the latest thinking in practical theology; of how to use theological learning in practical situations, is fully explored in this textbook. This text examines methodologies of the social sciences and questions how they can enable the task of theological reflection. They begin by tracing the development of practical theology as a discipline and comment on current methodological practices, and trace the movement from practical theology as applied theology, ie a discipline which simply takes data from the other theological disciplines (historical, systematic and biblical theology) towards a model which understands the practical theological task in terms of the theology of practice. The authors examine the relationship between qualitative and quantitative methods and highlight the significance of both for the task of practical theology. They also take the reader through the actual process of developing and carrying out a research project using the author's own research as case study examples. Case studies include: the rise in spirituality; the decline in church attendance, evidence-based medicine compared to needs-led assessments, the growth in chaplaincy and how it is understood as separate from parish ministry.

A Practical Theology of Missions

Author: Eric E. Wright
Publisher: Dayone C/O Grace Books
ISBN: 9781846251986
Category : Missionaries
Languages : en
Pages : 380

Book Description
What is the church's work of missions, and how should we carry it out? In this thorough study, Eric Wright roots missions solidly in the biblical text while giving modern, real-life examples of how missionary principles can be applied practically. He covers subjects such as missions and God's kingdom, the validity of mission boards, the role of providence, the necessary spiritual gifts, the multi-ethnic nature of ideal churches, how to avoid dependency, the priority of church planting versus humanitarian ministries, and short-term versus life-long missionary commitment. This book reverses the drift away from theology into pragmatics, without denying the importance of a dynamic methodology that responds to changing conditions. Regular snapshots of missionary life as it is being or has been played out in real situations ground the whole book in reality. Book jacket.