FE 103 Practical Theology Video

Summary

In this educational video, Tony Mory Alori discusses the intricacies of Practical Theology, emphasizing its evolving nature and resistance to simple categorization. He outlines its four core tasks: attentive (descriptive), interpretative, normative, and pragmatic, each with theological underpinnings. Alori connects these tasks to field education, illustrating how students can integrate practical theology into their internships and theological reflections, fostering a deeper understanding of their experiences within a theological context.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Practical theology is a field that is challenging to define due to its evolving nature, resistance to categorization, and multiple modern interpretations.
• 🔍 The field has transformed over the past 200 years, shifting from a 'theory to practice' model to a more contextual and integrated approach.
• 👨‍🏫 Practical theology resists specialization, aiming to bridge the gap between theory and practice, rather than being a distinct sub-discipline.
• 🌟 It is understood in various ways today: as a discipline, a method, a curricular area, and an activity in everyday life.
• 👂 The first task of practical theology is being attentive, which involves actively observing, listening, and understanding the context.
• 🧠 The second task is interpretative, where observations are analyzed and connected with broader academic disciplines and understandings.
• 📚 The third task is normative, engaging in theological reflection by putting experiences in conversation with established norms and traditions.
• 🛠 The fourth task is pragmatic, focusing on strategic responses and actions derived from the insights gained through the previous tasks.
• 🔗 Field education is integral to practical theology, providing a space for students to apply these tasks and reflect on their experiences.
• 🌐 The conversation between experience and norms can lead to the development of new theologies that address contemporary issues and challenges.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the class on practical theology and theological reflection?

The class focuses on the connection between practical theology and field education, emphasizing the methods and overview of practical theology and its relation to theological reflection as a tool for integrating field site work with classroom learning.

What is the significance of theological reflection in the context of field education?

Theological reflection is significant as it serves as a skill set for students to reflect on their work in field sites, integrating that experience with classroom work, following an action-reflection-action practice model of learning.

Why is defining practical theology considered challenging?

Defining practical theology is challenging due to the field's development over time, its resistance to categorization, and the various ways the term is used today, including as a discipline, method, curricular area, and activity in everyday life.

Who is credited with first speaking about practical theology, and how has the field evolved since then?

Fredrick Schacher in Germany is credited with first speaking about practical theology. The field has evolved significantly from its initial concept as a theory-to-practice model reflecting modernity to a more contextual and integrated approach in postmodernity.

What are the four tasks of practical theology as described by Richard Osmer?

The four tasks of practical theology according to Richard Osmer are: 1) the descriptive task (attentive task), which involves attentively observing and describing what is happening; 2) the interpretative task, which involves analyzing and understanding why things are happening; 3) the normative task, which involves theological reflection and putting experiences in conversation with norms and traditions; and 4) the pragmatic task, which is about strategizing and planning how to respond to the situation at hand.

How does the attentive task of practical theology relate to field education?

The attentive task in field education involves students being present and observant in their field sites, engaging all senses to understand the context and dynamics of the site, which is crucial for effective practical theology application.

What role does the interpretative task play in connecting field experiences with academic learning?

The interpretative task helps students analyze and connect their field experiences with academic learning by drawing on various disciplines and encouraging reflection on how field experiences relate to classroom teachings.

Why is the normative task considered the heart of theological reflection?

The normative task is the heart of theological reflection because it involves putting experiences in conversation with theological norms and traditions, allowing for a dynamic interaction that shapes and challenges both the experience and the norms.

How does the pragmatic task differ from the traditional application of theories in practical theology?

The pragmatic task in contemporary practical theology differs from traditional application by focusing on responding to specific situations with new practices rather than applying universal theories, emphasizing context and adaptability.

What are the theological justifications behind each of the four tasks of practical theology?

The theological justifications behind the four tasks are: Priestly listening for the attentive task, seeking wisdom for the interpretative task, discernment for the normative task, and leadership for the pragmatic task, each drawing from Christian theological perspectives.