Bücher der Reihe Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology

Ordinary theology' characterizes the reflective God-talk of the great majority of churchgoers, and others who remain largely untouched by the assumptions, concepts and arguments that academic theology takes for granted. Astley coined the phrase in his innovative study, Ordinary Theology: Looking, Listening and Learning in Theology.

This book aims to introduce a distinctively evangelical voice to the discipline of practical theology. Evangelicals have sometimes seen practical theology as primarily a 'liberal' project. This collection, however, actively engages with practical theology from an evangelical perspective, both through discussion of the substantive issues and by providing examples of practical theology done by evangelicals in the classroom, the church, and beyond. This volume brings together established and emerging voices to debate the growing role which practical theology is playing in evangelical and Pentecostal circles. Chapters begin by addressing methodological concerns, before moving into areas of practice. Additionally, there are four short papers from students who make use of practical theology to re¿ect upon their own practice. Issues of authority and normativity are tackled head on in a way that will inform the debate both within and beyond evangelicalism. This book will, therefore, be of keen interest to scholars of practical, evangelical, and Pentecostal theology.

This book articulates a perichoretic pastoral theology, offering a pastoral theological response to the question of how ministering persons practice ministry in communion with the triune God. Key elements from contemporary pastoral theology-theologies of human experience, concern for human suffering, and situational attentiveness-are drawn into conversation with the doctrine of perichoresis. Jim Horsthuis provides a vision for life and ministry in relational, participational and spiritual communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The chapters explore four spiritual movements that foster this vision: (1) the move from experience to relationship; (2) the move from concern to presence; (3) the move from competence to communion; and (4) the move from practice to prayer. The book represents a unique academic contribution to both pastoral theology and Trinitarian theology.

Presents a comprehensive treatment of the relationship between the doctrine of the Trinity and pastoral care and counselling. This book contends that an in-depth reflection on the relational dynamics in the Godhead has the capacity to radically renew pastoral practice.

This book aims to introduce a distinctively evangelical voice to the discipline of practical theology.

What are the ways of exciting and engaging the young so that they begin to entertain the possibility of the religious life? This book addresses the privileging of secularism that affects RE in countries influenced by modern western thought. It argues that a more engaging form of RE would emerge if religious life were to inhabit centre stage.

Argues that the discipline of practical theology needs to be re-shaped in the light of the impact of various influences created through the encounter with globalization. This book shows how it is in danger of operating with 'zombie categories'.

This study uniquely combines practical theology, pastoral insight and scientific data to demonstrate how Christian congregations can be helped to be resilient in the face of sudden devastating events.

Scripting Pentecost explores and develops an analysis of worship and liturgy in Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions around the world. It is organized into two main sections: history and theology, and global case studies. The first section considers early Pentecostal traditions, the influence of the Welsh revival, classical Pentecostalism, the Charismatic Renewal movement and subsequent practices up to the present day. It also provides contemporary constructive theological reflections on sung worship, sacramental theology and liturgical practices. The second section offers a selection of global case studies from America, Europe, Kenya, Myanmar, Venezuela and Papua New Guinea. These case studies focus on contemporary worship and liturgical practices and their significance for Pentecostal and Charismatic studies.

Exploring how the Bible may be appropriately used in public theology, this book looks at types of modern practical theology with specific emphasis on the use of the Bible. Drawing on the lessons learned through the study of Ruskin, and the case study of the Kairos Palestine Document.

This book discusses questions concerning what face is, how important face is in human life and relationships, and how we might understand face, both as a physical phenomenon and as a series of socially-inflected symbols and metaphors about the self and the body.

Offers an account of who Jesus was/is and what he did/does that is given by Christian believers who have received no formal theological education. This title analyses, and offers a theological appraisal, of the main christologies and soteriologies operating in a sample of ordinary churchgoers.

Issues of faith and spirituality have been resurgent in the UK since the opening of the twenty-first century. This book charts the impact of shifting attitudes towards spirituality through the experiences of health care chaplains. It also describe a crisis in the nature of spiritual care.

Explores the ordinary beliefs and practices of Pentecostal/Charismatic Christians in relation to the Holy Spirit.

Grappling with theological issues raised by abuse, this book argues that the Church should be challenged, and ministered to, by survivors. Presenting the interviews with Christian women survivors, it states that through painful experiences of transformation they have surprisingly become potential agents of transformation for others.

Through the unique chaplain's eye view of the significance of their experience for understanding the ethics of war.

Drawing on studies of church engagement with asylum-seekers in the UK and critical immigration and refugee issues in North America, this book presents an extended theological reflection on both the issue of asylum-seeking and the fears of established populations surrounding immigration.

Surveillance studies is an emerging, inter-disciplinary field that brings together scholars from sociology, criminology, political studies, computing and information studies, cultural studies and other disciplines. This books looks at the surveillance practices and ideologies from a Christian theological perspective.

Building on the concepts of implicit and invisible religion, the author offers a fresh and original interpretative 'take' on contemporary society, appealing to clergy, laity, scholars and all those working in the field of theory and reflective practice in practical and pastoral theology.

Examines the theological foundations of a collaborative approach to Christian ministry. Outlining the challenges for ministry, this book offers an historical perspective on ministry over the last century and develops a theory of collaborative ministry based on a dialogue between theology and science.

Studies Christian theology without words, focussing on theology in the Deaf Community. This book presents and examines some of that theology from the Deaf Community and argues that written texts are not necessary for creative theological debate, a deep spirituality or for ideas about God to develop.

Presenting a rich account of women's faith lives and, mapping women's meanings in their own right, this book offers an alternative to dominant accounts of faith development which failed to account for women's experience. Drawing on Fowler's faith development theory, feminist models of women's faith and social science methodology, the text explores the patterns and processes of women's faith development and spirituality in a group of thirty women belonging to, or on the edges of, Christian tradition.    Integrating practical theological concern with Christian education and pastoral practice, this book will be of interest to all concerned with women's faith development, spirituality, education and formation, and those working in the fields of practical theology, pastoral care, adult theological education, spiritual direction and counselling.

The author attempts to articulate and defend ordinary people's religious understanding and reflections of the divine. Although the majority of contemporary "God-talkers" have not studied academic theology, they are engaged in doing their own theology when they speak and thinking about God.

The author describes how the notion of place has been eliminated from discourse in Western society by a long and complex process that he attempts to trace in the first chapter of this study. The focus of the book is on the importance and relevance of location with regard to Christ.

With the Christian church in the west in decline, some churches are undergoing difficult transitions as they seek to become relevant, to both themselves and their surrounding cultures. This book details an ethnographic study of a Vineyard congregation making sense of their Vineyard roots.