Doing Local Theology: A Guide for Artisans of a New Humanity

by Clemens Sedmak, Robert J. Schreiter (Foreword by)

Overview

Doing Local Theology presents the construction of "local theologies" as an enterprise that's not just for specialists. This exciting and practical book promises to become a standard in courses on theological method and foundations of ministry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570754524
Publisher:	Orbis Books
Publication date:	02/28/2003
Series:	Faith and Cultures Ser.
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)

Table of Contents

	Foreword	vii
	Preface	ix
	Introduction: Waking Up	1
1.	Walking, Talking, Doing Theology	6
	Theology: The Why, How, What, Who, and Where	7
	A Guiding Image: The Local Theologian as Village Cook	17
2.	Jesus: Teacher of Theology	21
	The Local Life of Jesus, the Christ	23
	The Authority of Jesus	26
	The Pastoral Theology of Jesus	28
	Theological Occasions	29
	A Theology That Builds Community "As If People Matter"	31
	Good Theology	35
	A Third Look at Jesus	41
3.	Reappropriating Our Tradition	43
	Our Tradition: Asking Questions	44
	Rediscovering the Message of Jesus	46
	Reappropriating the Theological Tradition	52
	Reappropriating the Bible	56
	Inspiring Examples	63
	Good Theology	69
4.	Theologies and Local Culture	73
	Culture as a Local Reality	73
	Implicit Theologies	75
	"Value Stories"	77
	Theology and the Dialogue with Culture	79
	Local Language	81
	The Filipino Concept of Bahala Na	83
	Cultural Games	86
	Cultural Stories	90
5.	Local Theologies and the Social Situation	95
	Doing Theology within a Particular Social Structure	96
	Special Attention to the Poor	98
	Theological Eyes and Social Glasses	104
	Theological Social Analysis in Practice: Pastoral Letter on Poverty in Alabama (1990)	109
	Regional Theological Sketches	111
6.	Little Theologies	119
	Little Theologies Are Not Cheap Theology	121
	Three Tasks of Little Theologies	125
	Constructing Little Theologies	130
	The Examined Life	136
	Theological Occasions	141
	Discovering Theological Occasions: The Art of Looking at Details	144
	Ingredients of Little Theologies	146
	Working with Images	147
	Working with Proverbs	150
	Working with Stories and Examples	154
	Epilogue: A Culture of Hope	158
	Fifty Theses for Doing Local Theology	162
	Bibliography	169
	Index	179