Public Theology and ‘The Fragment’: Duncan Forrester, David Tracy, and Walter Benjamin

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-106
Author(s):  
William Myatt
Keyword(s):  
Walter Benjamin ◽  
Philosophy Of History ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Critical Philosophy

AbstractPublic theologians as diverse as Duncan Forrester and David Tracy have pointed to ‘the fragment’ as a useful and timely form of theological reflection. This article considers the possibility of the fragmentary form for public theology by complementing the suggestions of Forrester and Tracy with Walter Benjamin’s critical philosophy of history. Benjamin’s use of the fragment as a genre of expression reflects a desire to retrieve history without perpetuating history’s oppressive tendencies. Public theologians suspicious of these tendencies would do well not only to emulate Benjamin’s fragmentary style but to understand and embrace the philosophical reflections driving it. After summarizing the turn to the fragment in Forrester and Tracy, this article continues with a consideration of Benjamin, highlighting the possibilities for liberation and critique in a public theology dependent on his philosophy.

The Rhythm of History

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saitya Brata Das
Keyword(s):  
Soren Kierkegaard ◽  
Walter Benjamin ◽  
Philosophy Of History ◽  
Franz Rosenzweig ◽  
Historical Reason ◽  
The World

This chapter presents a reading of the posthumously published fragment The Ages of the World (Die Weltalter) to show that the deconstruction of sovereignty demands a re-thinking of the question of history. Confronting Hegel's pantheistic-immanent philosophy of history, it attempts to reveal an eschatological vision of history at work in Schelling's The Ages of the World which radically puts into question the secularising theodicy formulated by Hegel in his lectures on the philosophy of history. He thereby opens up the possibility, later elaborated by Søren Kierkegaard, Franz Rosenzweig, and Walter Benjamin, of a messianic-eschatological critique of historical Reason. Such an eschatological-messianic conception of history, by withdrawing from the triumphal march of universal world-historical politics, gives voice to those who are oppressed by the irresistible demand of progress.

Confessional Theology in Public Places

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason S. Sexton
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Public Places ◽  
The World ◽  
Christian Missionary ◽  
The Church

This article considers the nature of public theology by assessing essential features of western public space and precisely how Christian confession takes shape in those contexts. In doing so the article argues that instead of understanding theology as something done primarily from the church to the world, perhaps it is best acknowledged that theology is done within the setting of common societal structures, in particular locations and in situations where believers are enabled to confess the hope within them. An understanding of this dynamic nature of Christian confession and the variegated expositions of theological reflection corresponds to the dynamic expressions of faith, in word and deed, which correspond to the Christian missionary impulse.

Public Theology as Christian Witness: Exploring the Genre

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
John de Gruchy
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Common Good ◽  
Religious Diversity ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
The Political ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
The Common ◽  
Christian Witness

AbstractThis article explores the genre of public theology from the specific context of South Africa, while looking for the points of commonality set out by Duncan Forrester. Since the phrase 'public theology' refers to an engagement between theology and politics in specific locations, its content will be diverse and, yet, there is much that diverse public theologies share. Moreover, good practice in public theology requires that secularity and religious diversity are taken seriously. Consequently, Christian witness in secular democratic society means promoting the common good by witnessing to core values rather than seeking privilege for the Christian religion. In particular, this article offers the anti-apartheid and other activities of Joseph Wing and Douglas Bax, as well as the academic work of Denise Ackermann and the political service of Alex Boraine as examples of good practice in public theology in South Africa. The article concludes with the affirmation that public theology implies engagement in matters of public importance either through debate or action and always with self-critical theological reflection.

Public Theology in Brazil: The Political and Institutional Aspects

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Décio Passos
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Community ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Public ◽  
Curriculum Guidelines ◽  
Institutional Aspects ◽  
The University ◽  
Education Courses

Abstract This article analyses the situation of higher education courses in theology in Brazil, from a political and institutional point of view. It notes the need to adopt the epistemological status of theology itself as a parameter of institutionalization, in order to overcome the exclusively political criteria that have governed the process of accreditation of those courses, as well as the construction of curriculum guidelines. It affirms the ‘public’ aspect as inherent to theological reflection. Theology being a logos of faith structured originally within the university may, in the same space, be recognized as legitimate and established knowledge, according to the academic rules of the scientific community.

Historia y filosofía de la historia en el Benjamin tardío

1998 ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
José Sazbón
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Walter Benjamin ◽  
Philosophy Of History ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Philosophical Style ◽  
Arcades Project ◽  
Compare And Contrast

This paper deals with Walter Benjamin’s text largely known as "Theses on the Philosophy of History," and disputes its classification under that rubric. The circumstances of the elaboration and, more important, the explicit destination assigned to the reflections of the "Theses," require a consideration of its content and its relation to the historical studies the author was engaged in concerning the "prehistory" of modernity, especially of the remnants of the Parisian nineteenth century: the commonly known work "The Arcades Project." The relevance of a sameness in the language used in the two writings, particularly the resort to images, metaphors and the technique of montage, is stressed. It is argued that Benjamin’s philosophical style was always imagistic and that this fact is particularly relevant to the reflections on the concept of history. Philosophers and historians are both concerned by the historical research and concept construction of a thinker like the late Walter Benjamin. It is therefore desirable to compare and contrast their views.

A Public Theology Response to Domestic Violence in Samoa

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-67
Author(s):  
Mercy Ah Siu-Maliko
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Social Problem ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Intimate Partners ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
A Priority

Domestic violence is a serious social problem in Samoa. Some studies have suggested that nearly half of Samoan women have been subject to abuse by intimate partners or parents. The increase in cases of domestic violence in Samoa is slowly raising the public’s awareness of its impacts on the victims, who are overwhelmingly women and children. The growing number of named cases of domestic violence, and many other cases, which are not reported, should make domestic violence a priority issue in theological reflection. This article explores how this pressing issue of domestic violence in Samoa may be seen as a case study for an Oceanic public theology.

Populism and ‘People’: Precarities and Polarizations as a Challenge and Task for a Public Theology

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-368
Author(s):  
Rudolf von Sinner ◽  
Celso Gabatz
Keyword(s):  
Political System ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
The Political ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
Ernesto Laclau ◽  
Chantal Mouffe ◽  
The People ◽  
And Task

Abstract Two main elements pervade the argument. First, we argue that both ‘populism” and ‘the people’ are precarious concepts that can neither easily be defined, nor easily be claimed by any representative. We hold this to be true both in political and in theological terms, empirically referring to the civil and the religious population and their construction as ‘a people’, respectively. Second, in view of a common disregard for the people, namely as plebs, we reaffirm the importance of participatory popular subjects as a necessary part of both the political system and Christian communities. This bibliographical and conceptual essay contextualizes and explains the precariousness of realities and concepts, then analyses the concepts of populism and ‘people’. It seeks to deepen the discussion of populism by means of dialogue with Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, and then through a theological reflection by way of a public theology.

Liturgies of creativity: A dialogue between secular music performance and Christian liturgical performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Creative Process ◽  
Contemporary Music ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
Theological Orientation ◽  
The University

This is a modified version of an essay originally submitted as an assignment (entitled: ‘Bodies together: Creativity, sensuality, discovery’) during my MA in public theology at the University of Chichester. Theological reflection on contemporary music performance created a dialogue between the ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ to explore the concept of ‘liturgy’ in contemporary theological discourse. Drawing from largely Protestant and Catholic sources, I argue that while Christian worship is unique in its theological orientation, it shares with non-Christian ‘liturgies’ participation in a creative process through the ways in which the human imagination is enacted and performed. This invites further dialogue between different liturgies of creativity for human flourishing.

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