Entering the New Theological Space: Blurred Encounters of Faith, Politics and CommunityThis book presents theological reflections on the changing nature of church mission and Christian identity within a theology of 'blurred encounter' - a physical, social, political and spiritual space where once solid hierarchies and patterns are giving way to more fluid and in many ways unsettling exchanges. The issues raised and dynamics explored apply to all socially-produced space, thus tending to 'blur' that most fundamental of theological categories - namely urban vs. rural theology. Engaging in a sharper way with some of the helpful but inevitably broad-brush conclusions raised by recent church-based reports (Mission-shaped Church, Faithful Cities), the authors examine some of the practical and theological implications of this research for the issue of effective management and therefore church leadership generally. Speaking to practitioners in the field of practical theology as well as those engaged in theological and ministerial training, key voices encompass dimensions of power and conflict, and identify some of the present and future opportunities and challenges to church/faith-based engagement and leadership arising from blurred encounters. Contributors - practitioners and theorists - cover a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary professional contexts and academic/denominational interests. Contributors include: John Atherton, John Reader, Helen Cameron, Martyn Percy, Malcolm Brown, Karen Lord, Clare McBeath and Margaret Goodall. |
Contents
Brief Engagements Processional Encounters | 1 |
A Kidderminster Story | |
Problems of Place and Problematic Places | |
How Should the Church | |
A MultiDisciplinary Approach | |
Kent The Garden Of Dilemma | |
Weightless Identity in PostMaterial Communities | |
The Christian Individual and the Secular Institution | |
Stories Reflections and Liturgy Exploring | |
Anthropological Approaches to Blurred Encounters | |
Explorations in Implicit Theology | |
Latour Žižek and the Theory of Circulating | |
An Experience of Rural Ministry | |
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Entering the New Theological Space: Blurred Encounters of Faith, Politics ... John Reader Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
analysis Anthropology Anthropology of Religion areas argue aspects Atherton Bangladeshi community baptism become belief blurred encounters centre challenge chapel chapter Christian Christopher Baker church City commitment communitas congregation contemporary context created creative culture dementia dementor engagement ethical economics example experience explore Fair Trade faith global God’s Holy Saturday human Ibid icons ideas identity important individual institution John Atherton John Reader journey Kent Kidderminster liminal living London mainstream Manchester means mental illness normative offer organisational Oxford parish Pastoral patronus charm perspective pilgrimage political postmodern Practical Theology recognise relationship religion religious rites of passage ritual Royal Mile rural ministry Sallnow secular sense share significance social society spiritual story structure suburban suburbia suburbs suggests Symbols Thames Gateway theologians theological space theory threshold traditional truth Turner understanding urban village whilst Worcestershire Wyre Forest