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 check list
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
The problem of hermeneutics
The question of authority
Who should do theology?
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
- 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