Exploring Local Church Praxis of Public Theology

The Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV) encourages local churches to give priority to contributing to the well-being of their local neighbourhoods through community engagement and advocacy. This commitment to holistic mission and local community development is an integral part of the public theology of...

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Détails bibliographiques
Auteur principal: Cronshaw, Darren (Auteur)
Type de support: Électronique Article
Langue:Anglais
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Publié: Brill [2020]
Dans: International journal of public theology
Année: 2020, Volume: 14, Numéro: 1, Pages: 68-96
Classifications IxTheo:CG Christianisme et politique
KBS Australie et Océanie
KDG Église libre
RG Aide spirituelle; pastorale
RK Diaconie
Sujets non-standardisés:B environmental care
B Advocacy
B Social Justice
B Community Development
B Public Theology
Accès en ligne: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Résumé:The Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV) encourages local churches to give priority to contributing to the well-being of their local neighbourhoods through community engagement and advocacy. This commitment to holistic mission and local community development is an integral part of the public theology of local churches, given Elaine Graham’s argument that ‘practical care and service constitutes the essential praxis of public theology’. But to what extent does the reality of BUV local church mission match this rhetoric? The 2016 National Church Life Survey (NCLS) helps identify what community service BUV churches and their members are involved in. This article discusses the statistical state-wide responses of Victorian Baptists from NCLS 2016, together with interview responses from church leaders. It explores aspects of community development most valued by attenders, where church members are volunteering, and how and where churches are providing social services, prophetic advocacy and environmental care. This denominational case study illustrates that churches offering social services and fostering advocacy and creation care are functioning as the local praxis of public theology.
ISSN:1569-7320
Contient:Enthalten in: International journal of public theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15697320-12341601