Practical Theology: An Introduction

by Richard R. Osmer

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2008

Overview

Every church congregation encounters challenging situations, some the same the world over, and others specific to each church. Richard Osmer here seeks to teach congregational leaders—including, but not limited to, clergy—the requisite knowledge and skills to meet such situations with sensitivity and creativity. Osmer develops a framework for practical theological interpretation in congregations by focusing on four key questions: What is going on in a given context? Why is this going on? What ought to be going on? And how might the leader shape the context to better embody Christian witness and mission? The book is unique in its attention to interdisciplinary issues and the ways that theological reflection is grounded in the spirituality of leaders. Useful, accessible, and lively—with specific examples and case studies—Osmer’s Practical Theology effectively equips congregational leaders to guide their communities with theological integrity.

Contents

Top Highlights

“As this brief overview makes clear, prophetic discernment involves both divine disclosure and the human shaping of God’s word. The prophets draw on specific theological traditions to critique popular and official theologies and the way of life justified by these theologies. They interpret theologically very specific social conditions, events, and choices before the covenant community at a particular moment in time.” (Pages 134–135)

“2. Guiding interpretation evoked by the experience of being brought up short.” (Page 24)

“3. Guiding the dialogue between theology and other fields of knowledge.” (Page 25)

“1. Guiding the congregation as a community of interpretation” (Page 24)

“Ultimately, the descriptive-empirical task of practical theological interpretation is grounded in a spirituality of presence. It is a matter of attending to what is going on in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.” (Page 34)

Product Details

• Title: Practical Theology: An Introduction
• Author: Richard R. Osmer
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Print Publication Date: 2008
• Logos Release Date: 2016
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Theology, practical
• ISBNs: 9780802817655, 0802817653
• Resource ID: LLS:PRCTCLTHNTRDCTN
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:21:50Z

About Richard R. Osmer

Richard Osmer is Princeton Theological Seminary’s Thomas W. Synnott Professor of Christian Education. He holds an M.Div. from Yale University and a Ph.D. from Emory University. His interests include the teaching ministry of congregations, practical theology, and interdisciplinary thinking, and his courses cover educational psychology and practical theology, children’s literature in Christian moral education, confirmation and catechism, and the social functions of religion, ethics, and education in theories of modernity and postmodernity. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he chairs the Committee to Write New Catechisms for the Presbyterian Church (USA).