Contextual Theology: Skills and Practices of Liberating Faith

by Sigurd Bergmann (editor), Mika Vähäkangas (Editor)

This book advances that history by exploring stories, images and discourses across a worldwide range of geographical, cultural and confessional contexts. Its twelve authors not only enrich our understanding of the significance of the contextual method, but also produce a new range of original ways of doing theology in contemporary situations.

The authors discuss some prioritised thematic perspectives with an emphasis on liberating paths, and expand the ongoing discussion on the methodology of theology into new areas. Themes such as interreligious plurality, global capitalism, ecumenical liberation theology, eco-anxiety and the anthropocene, postcolonialism, gender, neo-pentecostalism, world theology, and reconciliation are examined in situated depth. Additionally, voices from Indigenous lands, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe and North America enter into a dialogue on what it means to contextualise theology in an increasingly globalised and ever-changing world.

Such a comprehensive discussion of new ways of thinking about and doing contextual theology will be of great use to scholars in Theology, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, Political Science, Gender Studies, Environmental Humanities, and Global Studies.

Genres: Theology

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2020

Reviews

[Nancy Nehila · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a hot mess!! First let me explain that I’m the kind of person that looks at footnotes. I like to look at the sources of information and if something quotes knowledge I’m unfamiliar with I will look up both the concept and the writer that the quote is attributed to. I started to notice a trend of the authors quoting themselves. But not directly. They don’t in the text say something like I’ve coined the phrase “blue jacket”. No they will foot note it. I found that odd. They weren’t quoting very large quotes or studies. Just short phrases. So I started to look more closely. It appears that this group of “scholars” footnote information from themselves and each other. So it’s like a convoluted rabbit hole of person a is footnoted by person b who then if footnoted by c. Then person a will footnote b and c. So it was person a’s idea but it’s is given more weight because it’s backed up by footnotes of b and c. Then person a writes a second article of the same material and footnotes himself, and 2 other writes (b&c).

So if you aren’t a person like me that checks these things you will think it must be true. It’s got 60 footnotes. I can’t see a possible reason to do this unless to make your point seem more scholarly.

Then the editor of the book has a chapter to his own writings. There are a few paintings included. No clue why. One is a modern art piece of squiggles and wide stripes etc. He’s using that to prove a point about climate change theology. I was left scratching my head on that one. Then he hits you with the concept of how he’s trying to forward the idea of a future with animals contributing to government policy and economics. Then non living entities like rocks as well.

The sad part is I agree with much of the books ideas. Some not so much. But it’s a few simple common sense points stretched out. And the hypocrisy just kills me. Lead by example. If you are worried about deforestation don’t rewrite the same article over and over. And save space by not footnoting yourself. I’m sure they all walk to work and their lectures. And don’t use any fossil fuels or trees to cook or light or warm their houses. And that they grow all their own food without using chemical pesticides or fertilizer.

It’s free on kindle. That’s paying too much !!!!!

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theology facing social issues

A study of contextual and contemporary theology facing social issues and missions. Though for some cases this could be useful, on many cases this would pose a danger of going to the totally different path.