Plan de desarrollo

Practical Theology involves reflection on practice, viewed by Ballard (1995:117) as having “the whole of human life in view. It asks what the Christian gospel has to say to the world and what the Christian church has to learn from the world.” It is embodied in a gospel that is contextual to the changing world and it is a theology that reads the signs of the times. Muller (2005:2) explains that practical theology occurs when and where there is a reflection on practice, from the perspective of the experience of the presence of God. He further argues that there are different levels of practical theology and these may be very spontaneous, informal and local, while at another level very formal, systematic and organised. According to Muller, practical theology can be practiced at different stages, such that it can be “part of ministerial activities on the congregational level or it can be highly academic on university level, and above all it is always guided by the moment of praxis (always local, embodied and situated)” (Muller 2005:297). I argue that it can also be practiced at communal and social level, outside the church premises by the religious people reflecting on their faith through their worldview. Historically, practical theology

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was known as a discipline that was largely concerned with preparing the clergy for ministry (Heyns & Pieterse 1990:7), it was a requisite course for ministry because its curriculum was church-based. Modern practical theology is not just concerned with the status quo of humanity but it “seeks to offer accounts of human experience and of the character and activity of God that are true in the sense of being „seriously imaginable‟ credible accounts of both” (Mercer 2005:12). In agreement, Muller (2004:297) believes practical theology should be distinguished from other theology subjects due to its truthfulness not just to context but to a very specific context. As a result, practical theologians label it „praxis‟, which is an engagement of theory and practice (theory + practice = praxis; or theory + practice = practical theology). This means that practical theology is both a methodology and a discipline of theology, that is “praxis-centred” and intends to be implemented in humanity‟s everyday live, experiences and situations (Mercer 2005:12).

Practical theologians have developed different definitions of practical theology that complement each other, however I wish to create a dialogue of what practical theology is and what it should entail from a practical theologian‟s perspective. Mercer describes practical theology as a discipline which “creatively and constructively develops alternative visions and practices for human activity that work towards justice and the reign of God in particular situations of struggle” (Mercer 2005:12). Similarly, Don Browning campaigns for a practical theology that is not just methodological but illuminates Christian praxis in religion to life‟s concrete problems and issues (Browning 1985:15). Nevertheless, practical theology is not just a mere application or reflection of biblical texts but it is a method that integrates Christian epistemology and hermeneutics. It engages in dialogue with human experiences by reflecting on their faith. Therefore, Pieterse (2001:9) believes practical theology should be a study of Christian actions. However, it is not just a study of Christian actions but rather it seeks to define Christian actions at the same time recommending appropriate Christian actions by taking a podium, and taking seriously people‟s contexts by walking in Jesus‟s footsteps and doing what Jesus would have done.

Burger (1988) quoted in Louw (2011:2-3) describes practical theology in simpler terms as he divides it into three approaches. The first approach is the confessional approach, in which Burger argues that the Bible is the object of studying practical theology that “should use a deductive method to reveal the truth of God‟s word” (Jonker, 1983, quoted in Louw,

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2011:2-3). In this approach the Bible is not informed by contexts but it is the only source of practical theological knowledge. Van Wyk (1995:91) argues that in this approach practical theology focuses on the truth about God as revealed in the word of God.

Secondly, there is the correlative approach, in which the actions are the object of study. Louw (2011:3) refers to this approach as interactive and one that focuses on interdisciplinary methodology that tries to connect theological insights with empirical insights arising from an empirical epistemology from secular human sciences shifting focus to an inductive method of research. Matte (1978) quoted in Louw (2011:3) explains that the correlative approach views practical theology as a communication and action oriented theory. Corresponding with Matte‟s argument, Pieterse‟s (1985:2) definition of practical theology is that it is “… the theological theory of Christian communicative faith through speech, symbols and behaviour” and conveys the word of God not the Bible as a book. The most important is the message that is in the book rather than the book itself. Thirdly, there is the contextual approach in which community is the object of study. Louw (2011:3) writes that this approach seeks a transformation or liberation through situational analysis. According to this approach, practical theology begins from human experience and interactions in relation to the Christian narrative. The contextual approach informs this study in that theology is interpreted and grounded in the context of URMs. Park‟s (2010:3) comprehensive definition of practical theology is that it “… engages in reflective, critical, communicative, interpretive, hermeneutical and correlational dialogue in order to achieve its purpose of bringing new meanings and horizons to specific contexts.” A more comprehensive definition is that of Poling (1991:186):

Practical theology is a critical and constructive reflection within a living community about human experience and interaction, involving a correlation of the Christian story and other perspectives, leading to an interpretation of meaning and value, and resulting in everyday guidelines and skills for the formation of persons and communities.

The above definitions have two critical points in common, namely critical reflection within a human community, in which human wellbeing is the centre of praxis. The praxis should be guided by human situation or context and informed by Christian story. This shows that practical theology is concerned about God and humanity, doing God‟s work for the sake of

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human wellbeing. However, practical theology is concerned not only with the wellbeing of humanity, but also that of all God‟s creation and God in all God‟s creation, because the primary aim of this concept is protecting the image of God in all humanity, and reflecting on Christian faith by allowing it to be a living faith, where preaching and faith are put into practice outside church buildings.

Tracy (1983:76) argues that practical theology shares the same line of thought concerning interaction between theory and practice and their critical correlation: “practical theology is the mutually critical correlation of the interpreted theory and praxis of the Christian faith and the interpreted theory and praxis of the contemporary situation.” In agreement, Patton (1993:238) regards it as a “two-way movement between theory and practice.” This reveals that practical theology only becomes practical theology when Christian faith is transformed to works, as theory without practice is incomplete and vice versa. Heitink (1999:7) argues that practical theology is God at work through the ministry of human beings, making it an engagement of theological theory to action which makes it praxis. For this reason, practical theology is a mother to many different theologies, which mostly use it as their foundation in the construction of a certain theology.

Practical theology influences this study in that it seeks to incorporate theory and practice into the situation of URMs and allow their reflection on it, by defining how they should be cared for in a context of HIV (Mercer 2005:12). It helps in understanding and critically reflecting on people situations as they develop a contextual model. It demands practitioners to be “skilful cultural exegetes” (Mercer 2005:13) who understands theories that engage with certain contexts, people and their situations.