Detecting God in practices theology in an empirical-theological research project

dc.contributor.authorBrouwer, Rein
dc.date.accessioned2011-01-07T11:16:15Z
dc.date.available2011-01-07T11:16:15Z
dc.date.issued2010-11
dc.descriptionThis article was initially presented as a paper at the annual conference of the Society of Practical Theology in South Africa, held at the University of Pretoria in January 2010. Prof. Rein Brouwer is a research associate of Prof. Malan Nel, Director of the Centre for Contextual Ministry at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Pretoria, South Africa.en
dc.description.abstractWhat is the nature of reality in theological research and how can this ‘theological’ reality be known? Can we empirically research God’s performance in reality? This article tries to find some common ground on this contested issue by presenting a debate between three Dutch practical theologians: Van der Ven, Immink, and Ganzevoort. Their positions on the theological dimension of empirical reality are traced, followed by some thoughts on critical realism and on a ‘cataphysic’ approach to empirical theological research, inspired by the theologian Alister McGrath and the philosopher of science Roy Bhaskar. This results in three concluding remarks. Firstly, realisme and social constructionism are not excluding options. Social constructions presuppose the existence of reality. Secondly, a stratified model of reality, perceiving the nature of reality as emergent, layered, and complex, points in the direction of multidisciplinary discourses and helps to avoid forms of reductionism. Thirdly, prioritizing the ontology of a stratified reality that reflects revelation, creates a common ground for the debate on the nature of theological reality.en
dc.identifier.citationBrouwer, R., 2010, ‘Detecting God in empirical–theological research project’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 66(2), Art. #805, 5 pages. DOI:10.4102/hts.v66i2.805en
dc.identifier.issn0259-9422
dc.identifier.other10.4102/hts.v66i2.805
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/15478
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherOpenJournals Publishingen_US
dc.rights© 2010. The Authors. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.en
dc.subjectEpistemologyen
dc.subject.lcshCritical realismen
dc.subject.lcshEmpirical theologyen
dc.subject.lcshKnowledge, Theory ofen
dc.subject.lcshOntologyen
dc.subject.lcshResearch -- Methodologyen
dc.titleDetecting God in practices theology in an empirical-theological research projecten
dc.typeArticleen

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