An Introduction to Practical Theology : History, Theory, and the Communication of the Gospel in the Present

Serious theology is systematic theology. Or so the story goes.Practical theologyawith its focuson the church, its life and its practicesahas sometimes been understood as the second order application of the real work of academic theology.However, inthis abridged translation of his magisterial Praktische Theologie , Christian Grethlein realizes the rigorous methodology, critical commitments, and expansive sweep of practical theologyaas both an academic and an ecclesial discipline. Grethlein roots his practical theology in communication theory, butdoes so in a way ordered to a specific end:the communication of the Christian gospel in the present day. He distinguishes practical theology from simply a guide to specific ecclesial praxis, on the one hand, andsome general theory of religion, on the other. Grethlein then blends empirical observation with biblical texts to reveal practical theology's unique nature asa discipline oriented toward rigorous examination of both the gospel and the intentional ways in which it is shared. In so doing, Grethlein opens the possibility of a truly encyclopedic and embedded practical theology. Part 1provides a historical introduction to practical theology, positioning it on a global stage,andin relation to other academic disciplinesaparticularlythemodern sciencesaas well aswithin ecclesial and theological traditions. Inpart 2Grethlein develops practical theology as communication of the gospel by examining the hermeneutical, empirical, and theological foundations necessary for a systematic practical theology. In part 3 Grethlein turns his attention to ways the gospel is communicatedboth in time and place, as well as the formsof that communicating (telling, talking, preaching, praying,and singing). In An Introduction to Practical Theology , Christian Grethlein offers students the foundations and frameworks for practical theology while guiding its scholars in the crafting of their academic discipline.