Faith, Theology, and Practice for the Impending Global Crisis.
Saved in:
| Title: | Faith, Theology, and Practice for the Impending Global Crisis. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Hunter, Rodney J. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Pastoral Psychology. Feb2025, Vol. 74 Issue 1, p29-48. 20p. |
| Subjects: | Practical theology, Climate change, Christianity, Religious studies, Faith |
| Abstract: | It is generally assumed that our advanced, technological civilization will find a way to surmount our planet's multifaceted climate and ecological crisis. In everyday thinking, it is virtually unthinkable to assume that our environmental situation could lead to a catastrophic outcome in which our civilization collapses and the planet becomes uninhabitable for humans. Of course, no one knows what the future holds, and humanity may yet find creative ways to surmount the crisis. But there are powerful political, economic, and cultural forces clearly putting us on a catastrophic trajectory unless fundamental (and increasingly difficult and improbable) changes are made. If we were, however, to contemplate, as one possibility, a truly worse-case scenario, it would seem important for religious persons to ask how religion and theology might function under such extreme conditions. Two fundamental questions might then arise: (1) From a practical perspective, how might religious faith be best practiced as conditions radically worsen? (2) And how might religion and theology best interpret such a fateful trajectory of decline and destruction? The author proposes a practice-oriented concept of practical theology, and certain related revisions of traditional Christian theological teachings, that may be helpful in answering such questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Pastoral Psychology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | It is generally assumed that our advanced, technological civilization will find a way to surmount our planet's multifaceted climate and ecological crisis. In everyday thinking, it is virtually unthinkable to assume that our environmental situation could lead to a catastrophic outcome in which our civilization collapses and the planet becomes uninhabitable for humans. Of course, no one knows what the future holds, and humanity may yet find creative ways to surmount the crisis. But there are powerful political, economic, and cultural forces clearly putting us on a catastrophic trajectory unless fundamental (and increasingly difficult and improbable) changes are made. If we were, however, to contemplate, as one possibility, a truly worse-case scenario, it would seem important for religious persons to ask how religion and theology might function under such extreme conditions. Two fundamental questions might then arise: (1) From a practical perspective, how might religious faith be best practiced as conditions radically worsen? (2) And how might religion and theology best interpret such a fateful trajectory of decline and destruction? The author proposes a practice-oriented concept of practical theology, and certain related revisions of traditional Christian theological teachings, that may be helpful in answering such questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 00312789 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11089-024-01176-1 |
