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Let's Do Theology

Resources for Contextual Theology

Let's Do Theology

Resources for Contextual Theology

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Paperback / softback

£15.99

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9780826425515
Number of Pages: 208
Published: 12/11/2009
Width: 16.9 cm
Height: 24.4 cm

This is an updated, critically acclaimed set text on Contextual Theological Method. This is an updated, new edition of a critically acclaimed set text on Contextual Theological Method. "Let's Do Theology" is an intensely practical book drawing examples from parish life and educational experience in the UK and overseas. It will describe how to strike the balance between unthinking but faithful action and careful theological reflection. The book offers a proven method for contextual theology, with full analysis and radical critique. It enables ordinary women and men to take part in the theological enterprise (democratizing theology).

Preface

PART I: DESCRIBING THE PROCESS

Chapter 1: Transforming Theology
Why do theology?
Participating in Theology
Let's Do Theology!
Living through exciting times:
1. Salvation and the Kingdom of God
2. All theology has context
3. Theology includes action
4. The question of power
5. God's concern for the marginalised
6. Courageous spirituality

Chapter 2: A New Way to Do Theology
Developing a method
The Doing Theology Spiral
Some health warnings
An African Example
A British urban example
Getting stuck
Mind the Gap

PART II: THE FOUR PHASES

Chapter 3: Starting from Experience
Making the experience come alive
1. Getting to know the group
2. Discerning the Focus
3. Sharing First impressions
4. Explaining the process
5. Getting the best from the group
6. The Group
7. Personality differences
8. The Leadership
9. Confidence building
10. Tools to encourage the theological process
a. Stating the Problem
b. Word-association
c. Keeping a record
d. Multi-media

Chapter 4: Exploring
From Anecdote to analysis
Using the analytical tools
Gathering analytical information
Gathering historical information
Gathering geographical information
Gathering social information
Gathering economic information
Discerning the culture
Religious factors
The exploration of ourselves
Making sense of the information
Looking for connections
Looking for causes
Looking for values
6. Celebrating the Group

Chapter 5: Reflecting
1. Challenge from the Christian tradition
2. Why do theological reflection?
3. The liberation of the imagination
4. A selection of set pieces
a. Biblical Approaches
i. Simple list
ii. The checklist
iii. Bibliodrama
iv. Public enactment
v. Bible themes & characters
vi. Narrating the Bible
vii. Prepared questions
viii. Using art materials
5. Connecting with other Christian treasures
6. Making the connections
7. The Baby and the Bathwater
8. Checking our intuitions
9. Focusing the Vision

Chapter 6: Responding
Fulfilling the Dream
Knowing what is to be done
Criteria for selection
Importance and viability
Who will benefit?
Causes not symptoms
Who will be involved?
Will the response preach the gospel?
Aims and Strategies
Implementation
Dealing with our fears
Continuing round the spiral

PART III: THINKING IT THROUGH

Chapter 7: Challenging implications
1. The problem of hermeneutics
2. The question of authority
3. Who should do theology?
4. The People's Theologian

Chapter 8: Other Styles of Theologising
Styles determined by Role
i. Personal Walk with God
ii. Me and my Group
iii. Me in the Ministry
iv. The Church in Society
Styles determined by Learning Preference
i. The living human document
ii. Constructing Stories
iii. Acting out the Mind of Christ
iv. Living the Body of Christ
v. Speaking out about God
vi. Value-committed Action
vii. Theology with a local accent
Where Do I see God?
i. Treasure Hunt Theology
ii. God on the attack
iii. Planting the Gospel
iv. God in the Mix
v. The Praxis Model
4. Four criticisms
5. A Rule of Life

Chapter 9: Spirituality ~ Where will we find God?
1. A Rabbinic Story
a. Finding God where you are
b. Finding God in servanthood
c. Finding God at the edges
d. Finding God in the Issues
e. Finding God in repentance
f. Finding God in money, sex and power
2. Joys and Sorrows in the Spirit
a. Theology and self-sacrifice
b. Celebration with the struggle
3. Worship and prayer
4. The Practice of Prayer
5. Converting the Church
6. Church as Privileged Instrument of the Kingdom

Appendix: A survey of sub-disciplines usually considered to be the content of academic or conventional theology
Selected bibliography and contact addresses

Laurie Green

Laurie Green studied in London and New York prior to seventeen years in challenging parish ministry. He spent seven years training women and men for ordained ministry before being made Bishop in the Church of England. He has taught around the world and two of his books, including Urban Ministry and the Kingdom of God, have been awarded 'book of the year' status by the Church Times, UK.

st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) }"'As a Dalit activist theologian I am amazed at Bishop Laurie's wealth of biblical and theological understanding. He challenges the western bias of traditional theology by explaining that every theology is contextual theology. The methodology he adpots helps every reader of this book participate with the author in 'doing' theology. He makes theology 'a tool for the transformation of our own lives and of the society we seek to serve'. This book is a 'must read'.'"Dr. P.Mohan Larbeer, Dalit activist theologian, Principal of Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, India st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) }"'In reading the new edition of Laurie Green's "Let's Do Theology," I had three reactions again and again. I wished I had known about the first edition of this excellent resource over the previous twenty years, because I would have used it in many settings. Every seminarian should engage with this book, so they can bring this clear-minded and warm-hearted approach to theology to their local congregations in the coming generations.'"Brian D. McLaren, author/speaker (brianmclaren.net) st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) }"'A tremendously encouraging book - especially for lay people! Ambitious academically and at the same time a challenge for individual and social life in a globalized world. In Laurie Green's book theory and practice are no longer seperated, as theology is brought back into the midst of our life - and things begin to change. Let's hope there will be a German translation soon!'"Dr. Hermann Duringer, Director of the Arnoldshain Protestant Academy, Germany"" st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) }!--/* Font Definitions */@font-face{font-family: Georgia;panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family: roman;mso-font-pitch: variable;mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}/* Style Definitions */p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-parent: "";margin:0cm;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-pagination: widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";}@page Section1{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;mso-header-margin:36.0pt;mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;mso-paper-source:0;}div.Section1{page: Section1;} ""'A tremendously encouraging book - especially for lay people! Ambitious academically and at the same time a challenge for individual and social life in a globalized world. In Laurie Green's book theory and practice are no longer seperated, as theology is brought back into the midst of our life - and things begin to change. Let's hope there will be a Germa Normal0falsefalsefalseMicrosoftInternetExplorer4st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) }!--/* Font Definitions */@font-face{font-family: Georgia;panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family: roman;mso-font-pitch: variable;mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}/* Style Definitions */p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-parent: "";margin:0cm;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-pagination: widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";}@page Section1{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;mso-header-margin:36.0pt;mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;mso-paper-source:0;}div.Section1{page: Section1;} "/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name: "Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow: yes;mso-style-parent: "";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-pagination: widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-f st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } "'As a Dalit activist theologian I am amazed at Bishop Laurie's wealth of biblical and theological understanding. He challenges the western bias of traditional theology by explaining that every theology is contextual theology. The methodology he adpots helps every reader of this book participate with the author in 'doing' theology. He makes theology 'a tool for the transformation of our own lives and of the society we seek to serve'. This book is a 'must read'.'" Dr. P.Mohan Larbeer, Dalit activist theologian, Principal of Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, India st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } "'In reading the new edition of Laurie Green's "Let's Do Theology," I had three reactions again and again. I wished I had known about the first edition of this excellent resource over the previous twenty years, because I would have used it in many settings. Every seminarian should engage with this book, so they can bring this clear-minded and warm-hearted approach to theology to their local congregations in the coming generations.'" Brian D. McLaren, author/speaker (brianmclaren.net) st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } "'A tremendously encouraging book - especially for lay people! Ambitious academically and at the same time a challenge for individual and social life in a globalized world. In Laurie Green's book theory and practice are no longer seperated, as theology is brought back into the midst of our life - and things begin to change. Let's hope there will be a German translation soon!'" Dr. Hermann Duringer, Director of the Arnoldshain Protestant Academy, Germany"" st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } ! /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family: Georgia; panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family: roman; mso-font-pitch: variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent: ""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page: Section1;} > "'A tremendously encouraging book - especially for lay people! Ambitious academically and at the same time a challenge for individual and social life in a globalized world. In Laurie Green's book theory and practice are no longer seperated, as theology is brought back into the midst of our life - and things begin to change. Let's hope there will be a German translation soon!'" Dr. Hermann Duringer, Director of the Arnoldshain Protestant Academy, Germany"" Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name: "Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: #0400; mso-fareast-language: #0400; mso-bidi-language: #0400;} "'Laurie Green's experience as teacher, pastor and agent for God's change informs every page of this accessible and challenging book ... a new and extensively revised edition which makes full use of developments in theological reflection and cultural understanding in the last two decades, and it retains all its freshness, insight and sheer groundedness in the reality of God's people working for God's Kingdom.'" Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury 'A practical book, accessible and direct... a significant resource for all those engaged in leadership and learning, lay and ordained, within the community of faith.' --Sanford Lakoff I recommend Green's text for local leaders of faith and communities just beginning their explorations in this vital area of ministry and faith community building.--Sanford Lakoff '"Accessible theology" might seem like a contradiction. Surely theology is a discipline for the professional specialist. It's not, as Bishop Laurie Green shows us in his marvellous book. Take a look. Theology is how we talk, think and act in relation to God and our neighbour. Its use is not to argue about "hot button" controversies but as a way to make sense of the mundane events of daily life. Bishop Green wants "Theology to become a tool for the transformation of our own lives and of the society we seek to serve." Laurie Green is a teacher and theologian but also a bishop with years of practical experience of pastoral care for thousands of people in city, rural and multi-cultural settings. He has written precisely for this purpose: to assist ordinary Christians find the words and framework to think and speak themselves about God in everyday life. St. Anselm, 11th C. Archbishop of Canterbury wrote about faith seeking understanding and proposed that each of us must explore our faith to the full capacity of our abilities. The First Letter of Peter tells us always to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that lies within us. Read this book. It is simple, direct, practical and wise. And make the connection between the best of our theological heritage and your own daily experience.' The Right Reverend Colin R. Johnson, Anglican Bishop of Toronto "Now a bishop in the Church of England, Green wrote the first edition in 1989 drawing on his 20 years of ordained ministry in Birmingham and his work with an educational psychologist. Writing for lay readers as well as seminary students, he describes a style of theology that pays close attention to the context. Central to his approach are the four phases of starting from experience, exploring, reflecting, and responding. Other topics include transforming theology, challenging implications, and other styles of theologizing." -Eithne O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc.

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