Elaine Graham - brilliant
Went to hear Elaine Graham (prof of Social and Pastoral Theology at the University of Manchester) at Regents park Tuesday night talking about her recent book co written with Heather Walton and Francis Ward.
She was brilliant and was very fair in her presentation about where her thoughts were and where the limitations and the lacking in her thoughts were. Apart from that she described (almost) exactly what I (am many others i’m sure) have and are doing at the cutting edge of leadership in church life.
Essentially - what is theology if it is not doing it! What is pure theology? does it exists? Surely theology is talk about GOD at the point where it really matters - in real lives.
In suggesting we reclaim ancient and traditional focus of formation of character and community identity ‘pastoral / practical / applied theology’ is put back in the driving seat of theologcal education.
I will try and put post a link to my notes later