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A Post-Foundationalist Approach Towards Doing Practical Theology: a Critical Comparison of Paradigms

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A Post-Foundationalist Approach Towards Doing Practical Theology: a Critical Comparison of Paradigms i A POST-FOUNDATIONALIST APPROACH TOWARDS DOING PRACTICAL THEOLOGY: A CRITICAL COMPARISON OF PARADIGMS by BRIAN MACALLAN Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. H. Jurgens Hendriks Co-Supervisor: Dr. I.A. Nell March 2012 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ii Declaration: By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: February 3, 2012. Copyright © 2011 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za iii ABSTRACT This dissertation has sought to examine how a post-foundationalist approach to Practical Theology might look. This was done through a critical appraisal of the paradigms of foundationalism and non-foundationalism. These paradigms were explored in their historical context and development to illustrate the defining differences and features of both. The researcher then explored Practical Theology in its historical development to examine whether it has moved beyond foundationalism. This was further done by examining the last three decades of Practical Theology by a comparison of methodologies currently proposed. It emerged that, in many ways, Practical Theology has moved beyond the paradigm of foundationalism. This was seen in its affirmation of the local context, its use of a correlational hermeneutic and the pastoral cycle. These areas were then fleshed out in further detail in an attempt to delineate a truly non-foundationalist Practical Theology. A missional perspective on Practical Theology became an entry point into detailed discussions with regard to context, as well as to how the various sources of the correlational hermeneutic can best be understood in a post-foundationalist world, in light of the post-modern critique. These unique features are indeed central to a post-foundational approach to doing Practical Theology. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za iv OPSOMMING Hierdie proefskrif het gepoog om na te vors hoe ʼn post-foundationalistic benadering tot Praktiese Teologie daar sou uitsien. Dit behels ʼn kritiese beoordeling van die foundationalism en nie-foundationalism paradigmas. Hierdie paradigmas is in hul historiese konteks en ontwikkeling ondersoek om die bepalende verskille en kenmerke van albei te illustreer. Daarna het die navorser Praktiese Teologie in sy historiese ontwikkeling ondersoek om vas te stel of dit verby foundationalism beweeg het. Dit is gedoen deur na die laaste drie dekades van Praktiese Teologie se ontwikkeling te kyk en ʼn vergelyking te tref tussen die verskillende benaderings tot die vak. Dit het geblyk dat Praktiese Teologie in vele opsigte buite die paradigma van foundationalism beweeg het. Dit word duidelik as daar gekyk word na sy bevestiging van die plaaslike konteks, sy gebruik van ʼn korrelasie (correlational) hermeneutiek en die pastorale siklus. Hierdie areas is toe aangevul met verdere detail in ʼn poging om ʼn ware nie-foundationalistic Praktiese Teologie uit te beeld. ʼn Missionale perspektief op Praktiese Teologie het ʼn aansluitingspunt vir uitvoerige besprekings met betrekking tot konteks geword, asook tot hoe die verskeie bronne van die korrelasie hermeneutiek die beste verstaan kan word in ʼn post-foundationalistic wêreld, veral in die lig van die post-moderne kritiek. ʼn Missionale perspektief staan sentraal tot ʼn post-foundational benadering in Praktiese Teologie. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za v Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. - 1 - 1.1 PRACTICAL THEOLOGY IN THE REAL WORLD ................................. - 1 - 1.2 CONFESSIONS OF A FOUNDATIONALIST EVANGELICAL................ - 6 - 1.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THIS WORK ....................................................... - 11 - 2. FOUNDATIONALISM EXPLORED .............................................................. - 13 - 2.1 THE CHALLENGE OF POST-MODERNISM .......................................... - 14 - 2.1.1 What is post-modernism? .................................................................... - 15 - 2.2 FOUNDATIONALISM ............................................................................. - 18 - 2.3 CRITICAL REALISM ............................................................................... - 23 - 3. PRACTICAL THEOLOGY ............................................................................. - 26 - 3.1 DEFINING TERMS .................................................................................. - 28 - 3.1.1 Pastoral Theology ............................................................................... - 28 - 3.1.2 Practical Theology .............................................................................. - 32 - 3.1.3 Theological reflection ......................................................................... - 35 - 3.2 HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS ......................................................... - 38 - 3.2.1 Developments in Germany .................................................................. - 42 - 3.2.2 Developments in the Netherlands ........................................................ - 44 - 3.2.3 Developments in Great Britain ............................................................ - 45 - 3.2.4 Developments in North America ......................................................... - 47 - 3.2.5 Developments in South Africa............................................................. - 48 - 3.2.6 In summary ......................................................................................... - 53 - 4. METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS.................................................. - 55 - 4.1 POLING AND MILLER‟S TYPOLOGIES ............................................... - 56 - 4.2 BALLARD AND PRITCHARD‟S MODELS ............................................ - 63 - 4.4 TYPES, MODELS AND POST-FOUNDATIONALISM........................... - 92 - 5. A POST-FOUNDATIONALIST PRACTICAL THEOLOGY ......................... - 98 - 5.1 A MISSIONAL PRACTICAL THEOLOGY ............................................. - 98 - 5.1.1 Mission in historical perspective ....................................................... - 102 - 5.1.2 Missional salvation and Practical Theology ....................................... - 108 - 5.1.3 Trinitarian mission and Practical Theology ....................................... - 117 - 5.1.4 The missional church and Practical Theology .................................... - 125 - 5.2 A GLOCAL PRAXIS-BASED PRACTICAL THEOLOGY .................... - 128 - 5.2.1 The pastoral cycle ............................................................................. - 130 - 5.2.2 The local dimension of Practical Theology ..................................... - 132 - 5.2.3 Experience as source ......................................................................... - 135 - 5.2.4 Social analysis .................................................................................. - 140 - 5.2.5 The religious dimension of the social sciences................................... - 144 - 5.2.6 Research methods ............................................................................. - 145 - 5.3 A CORRELATIONAL HERMENEUTIC ................................................ - 155 - 5.3.1 Pastoral reflection ............................................................................. - 155 - 5.3.2 A critical correlational hermeneutic ................................................... - 156 - 5.3.3 The human sciences .......................................................................... - 159 - 5.3.4 Foundationalism and the human sciences .......................................... - 161 - 5.3.5 The Christian classics ........................................................................ - 165 - 5.4 PASTORAL RESPONSE ........................................................................ - 176 - 6 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... - 179 - BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................. - 183 - Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za - 1 - 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 PRACTICAL THEOLOGY IN THE REAL WORLD The world is changing, and changing to such an extent that we can hardly define our problems, let alone attempt to solve them. Perhaps one might counter that the world has always been changing and, in some sense, that of course is true. Change is always knocking at our door and attempts to dismantle and re-arrange us, whether for better or worse, for richer or poorer, or for sickness and in health. We do not need sociologists and anthropologists to tell us that our world is in a state of intense insecurity, complexity and inequality. Or, perhaps we do. Perhaps we need the harsh realities of our world to be spelt out again and again until it sinks in and leads to some form of action. Or does this just lead to a sense of escapism or denial as one becomes numb to the world around us and our issues? In a very real sense, this numbness to the world‟s problems is played out on the streets of South
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