Is Sino-Christian Theology Truly “Theology”? Problematizing Sino-Christian Theology as a Public Theology

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-119
Author(s):  
Jason Lam
Keyword(s):  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Public Realm ◽  
Public Concern ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Past ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
The Church ◽  
Chinese Public

Abstract Most participants in the Sino-Christian theology movement are not affiliated with the church. This state of affairs naturally raises the question whether what scholarship arises is really a kind of theology or merely writings on public and/or political issues with reference to Christian themes. And yet the movement is more influential than the church in the Chinese public realm in terms of its ability to produce a Christian voice. The purpose of this article is first to examine the historical development of Sino-Christian theology over the past several decades. Some particular themes of this movement are then explored. These themes are intertwined with the discussion of polytheistic values, nationalism, and self-identity in times of cultural conflict: all of these matters are of wide public concern. There are evident tensions within the Sino-Christian theology movement: the intention is to show points of difference can be transformed and become a creative drive behind the construction of a new kind of theology in the Chinese public realm.

Power, Knowledge and Authority in Public Theology

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Graham
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
The Past ◽  
Past Generation ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
The Church

AbstractOne of the most distinctive movements within Christian theology to have emerged over the past generation has been the various theologies of liberation which originated in Latin America but which now span a diversity of styles, including feminist and womanist, Black, Asian and lesbian/gay/bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) theologies. All theologies of liberation purport to give a voice to the experiences of those formerly silenced or marginalized by society and/or the Church. This is essentially an issue of power, since one of the authenticating marks of such theologies is the extent to which they enable such groups to move from powerlessness to empowerment. Yet theologies of liberation also represent, potentially, another redistribution of power, by enabling previously excluded groups to bring their interpretations and testimonies into theological discourse. This article examines the background to this intersection of power and knowledge in theology, and asks how public theology might assist such a process of theological empowerment.

scholarly journals Plurality in the Theological Struggle against Apartheid

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-134
Author(s):  
George J. (Cobus) van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Theological Anthropology ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Public Concern ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Significant Marker ◽  
The Church

AbstractThe church struggle against apartheid remains a key case study in ecumenical public theology, with particular relevance for the Reformed tradition. The importance of Christian theology in both the justification of and opposition to apartheid is well known. Also, the process of ecumenical discernment for responding to apartheid became a significant marker in global ecumenical reflection on what today we might describe as public theology. However, the idea of a theological struggle against apartheid risks ironing out the different theological positions that oppose apartheid. This article highlights some of the attempts to analyze the theological plurality in responses to apartheid. Then it proceeds to present an alternative way of viewing this plurality by focusing on the way in which different classic theological questions were drawn upon to analyze apartheid theologically. Using as examples the important theologians David Bosch, Simon Maimela, and Albert Nolan, it highlights how apartheid was described as a problem of ecclesiology, theological anthropology, and soteriology. It argues that this plurality of theological analyses allows us to rediscover theological resources that might be of particular significance as race and racism take on new forms in either democratic South Africa or the contemporary world. Simultaneously, it serves as a valuable example in considering a variety of theological questions when theologically reflecting on issues of public concern.

Public Theology: Its Pastoral, Apologetic, Scientific, Political, and Prophetic Tasks

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-177
Author(s):  
Ted Peters
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Political Theology ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Constructive Work ◽  
The Church

Abstract This blueprint for a constructive public theology assumes that Christian theology already includes public discourse. Following David Tracy’s delineation of three publics—church, academy, culture—further constructive work leads to a public theology conceived in the church, reflected on critically in the academy, and meshed with the wider culture. Public reflection on classic Christian doctrines in a post-secular pluralistic context takes the form of pastoral illumination, apologetic reason, a theology of nature, political theology, and prophetic critique.

The Construction of Paul’s Self in His Writings: Narrative Identity, Social Memory and Metaphorical Truth

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-265
Author(s):  
Simon Butticaz
Keyword(s):  
Collective Memory ◽  
Social Group ◽  
Narrative Identity ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
The Past ◽  
Construction Of Self ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Narrative Mode ◽  
The Church

The article aims to investigate – in two autobiographical fragments of the Pauline writings (1 Cor. 15:8-10 and Gal. 1:13-24) – how the narrative mode enables the apostle to grasp the continuity and coherence of his identity, while integrating in the construction of his self disparate and discordant elements (like the Damascus event) which continually threaten the “narrative unity of a human life” (MacIntyre). Furthermore, since “collective memory” precedes and shapes the individual representation of the past (Halbwachs; Assmann), the article also examines how Paul integrates and negotiates in his construction of self-identity the “communal memories” shared by his social group, and in particular his past as persecutor of the Church. Finally, we shall describe the integration of these autobiographical fragments within their respective literary contexts and explore the “metaphorical truth” – or the “refiguration” of reality – which is produced by these different “configurations” of Pauline identity (Ricoeur).


A View of the Past: Action Française Historiography and its Socio-Political Function

1976 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Third Republic ◽  
Popular Education ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
General Belief ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Past ◽  
Political Function ◽  
History Books ◽  
The Church ◽  
Do So

There seems to have existed in France, at least after 1830, a general belief in the enormous social and political potenntial of education. Socialists, even after the penetration of vulgar Marxism, regarded ignorance as the great obstacle to working-class emancipation; democrats of all shades believed that the authentic Republic would emerge when a secular state primary education system became established; while, for conservatives, to entrust popular education to the Church was the only hope of preventing radical social change or collapse. Education became, therefore, one of the central political issues of the Third Republic. Recent work on the history and civics textbooks used in schools has given some indication of the picture of their society and its history which French schoolchildren were presented with, and of the way in which this may have guided their future attitudes and reactions. It is always difficult to assess the influence and importance of such material in the formation of mentalités, but, in order to do so, it must be remembered that the school textbooks were not the only formers of popular attitudes in this sphere. Not only did state school and Catholic textbooks present rival views, albeit mainly to two distinct audiences, but the period from 1900 to 1940 saw a flourishing of popular history books addressed to adults. These were mainly of Right-wing inspiration and were directed against the academic orthodoxy of the Republican University. A central role was played in this enterprise of historiographical vulgarization by the nationalist and royalist Action Francaise movement, whose ideology was often explicitly or implicitly present in it. The aim of this paper is to analyse the view of the past presented by the Action Franchise historians, and to suggest that the function of their historiography was to project a particular conception of what society was and ought to be like.

scholarly journals “MELAMPAUI DUNIA LATIN : KEMURIDAN DAN KEWARGAAN DALAM TEOLOGI PUBLIK KEKRISTENAN ASIA”

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 265
Author(s):  
James Haire
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Nation State ◽  
The Third ◽  
Asian Society ◽  
Pauline Theology ◽  
Christian Discipleship ◽  
Concrete Reality ◽  
The Church

Abstract: This article looks at the issues of discipleship and citizenship in the context of Asian Christianity in terms of “belonging”. The concept of discipleship refers to the concept of belonging within the church, while the concept of citizenship refers to belonging within the nation-state. Thus the issue of belonging within these two spheres is a sub-set of the questions relating to public theology within Asian Christianity. The first issue considered is the question as to what extent the assumptions of public Christian theology actually are the assumptions of post-Enlightenment western Christian theology alone, and therefore have only very indirect links with Asian Christianity. The second issue is the intercultural nature of Christian theology, and its implications for public theology, including discipleship and citizenship. The third issue is the reality of Asian society and Asian Christian theology, particularly public theology. Where Christianity is a minority (albeit, large minority), what is the contribution of a public Christian theology to the debates of civil society? In this section the author looks at the concrete reality of violence in Asia, and seek to analyse how the dynamics of Pauline theology frequently used in Asia engage with the fact of violence. Finally the article seeks to answer the question as to what we can learn from Asian Christian contexts on the interaction of faith and culture in relation to Christian discipleship and engaged citizenship. Keywords: kekristenan, budaya, teologi publik, gereja, lokal, global, Asia, reformasi.

Public Theology and Counter-Public Spheres

1992 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen C. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Public Spheres ◽  
The Past ◽  
Alternative Proposal ◽  
Special Revelation

In the past decade a number of influential theologians have claimed, based on the analogy of modern science, that Christian theology is or should be public discourse, a public discipline which is addressed to all people and which uses criteria acceptable to all. This claim is usually contrasted with a view in which theology is understood as private, subjective, authoritarian, based on faith or a special revelation, and limited to a particular community. In this essay I shall explore in particular David Tracy's claim that theology should be public discourse, point out some difficulties with regard to this claim, and make an alternative proposal.

scholarly journals O “mensalão/petrolão” e a teologia pública no Brasil

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (304) ◽  
pp. 820-843
Author(s):  
Nicolau João Bakker
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
The Public ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Synthetic View ◽  
The Church

Síntese: O presente artigo é fruto de uma preocupação angustiante: para onde irão as Igrejas do Brasil depois do inesperado susto do mensalão e do petrolão? Ao apoiar, ao menos parcialmente, um regime político “da Esquerda”, a Igreja errou ou acertou? Qual o caminho daqui para frente? Uma teologia pública deve limitar-se a discussões de cunho mais acadêmico, ou deve abrir pistas concretas no terreno sempre escorregadio das relações entre Igreja e esfera pública? O artigo inicia tecendo um quadro sintético da atual conjuntura política do país, apresentando, além dos fatos principais, também um ensaio interpretativo. Em seguida, busca no passado da tradição cristã, algumas lições que ainda hoje são significativas para uma teologia pública em fase de elaboração. Finalmente, coloca o respeito à “religiosidade” humana como um fator de primordial importância para justificar a ação política em qualquer uma das esferas públicas.Palavras-chave: Mensalão/Petrolão. Teologia Pública. Esfera pública “religiosa”Abstract: The present article is the result of an agonizing concern: whereto will the brazilian churches go after the unexpected upheavel from the so-called “mensalão/monthly payment” and “petrolão/petrol payment”? In supporting, at least partially, a leftist political regime, did the church make a mistake or did it do well? From now on, which way to go is the issue? A public theology must limit itself to a more academic discussion or open up concrete roads in the slippery relations between church and the public sphere? This article starts by offering a synthetic view of the national political situation at present, indicating not only the most significant facts, but also an iterpretive assay. As a sequence, we look at some lessons in the christian tradition of the past that may be significant nowadays for a public theology still in elaboration. Finally it puts the human religiosity as a factor of primordial importance to justify political action in the public sphere.Keywords: “Mensalão/Petrolão”. Public theology. “Religious” public sphere

Envision and Criticize: Doing Public Theology When Democracy Seems to Fail

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-108
Author(s):  
Nico Koopman
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
South African ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Trinitarian Theology ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
The Church

AbstractThis article discusses the development of a public theological response to the various challenges that have confronted South African democracy over the past twenty-five years. A public theology addresses three interdependent themes, namely the inherent public contents of faith, the public rationality of faith and the public significance of faith. The praxis of a Trinitarian theology and anthropology of vulnerability captures the emphasis liberation theology placed upon dignity, healing, justice, freedom and equality. The focus on human rights is a vehicle for justice while the call for unity—within the church and society at large—seeks a reconciliation that overcomes alienation. It seeks an end to oppression and dehumanization. In a context where the democratic vision of dignity, healing, justice, freedom and equality for all, especially for the most vulnerable, are not fulfilled, the prophetic modes of envisioning and criticism have to enjoy priority.

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