A Pilgrim’s Performance: Practical Theology as Convening
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Dustin D. Benac
Abstract
Convening is a mode of practical theology inquiry that stages a counter-performance to the spectacle of prominent logics that order ecclesial life: brand Christianity, silos, and competition. Three parts organize this argument: Part I sets the stage with a preliminary portrait of convening, noting the contextual features of this inquiry. Part II introduces Augustine’s City of God as an interpretive lens to understand convening as a counter-performance to prominent spectacles on display. Part III redescribes convening by combining Augustine’s theological vision of spectacle, performance, latreia, and pilgrimage with the introductory portrait in order to perform what is possible when people of faith gather for collective inquiry.
Zusammenfassung
Der Aufsatz erläutert das Gesprächsformat des „Convening“ vor, ein kooperatives und ergebnisoffenes Zusammentreffen von Stakeholdern im kirchlichen Leben. Dieses stellt einen Gegenentwurf dar zu einem modus operandi, der Machtdifferenzen und Stereotypen inszeniert. Exemplarische Sequenzen eines „Convening“ werden ausgewertet und im Horizont von Augustins De civitate Dei gedeutet, um Wege des gemeinsamen Nachsinnens über Glaubensfragen zu beschreiben.
© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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- Ryan LaMothe, Pastoral Care in the Anthropocene Age: Facing a Dire Future Now, Lanham ML (Lexington Books) 2022, 213pp., ISBN 9781793641472 (e-book: 9781793641489), $100.00 USD
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Frontmatter
- Editorials
- A Passion for Clear Writing
- New Section of Booknotes Online Launched: Tell the Community about New, Exciting Publications!
- International Report
- Is Poland Still the Bulwark of Christendom?
- Research Report
- Another World? Practical Wisdom for the End-Times
- Research Articles
- Research Supervision as a Spiritual Ministry: A Confluence of Object Relations, Psychodynamics and Grace
- A Doxological Response to the Problem of Disenchantment
- In (Partial) Defence of the Monologue Sermon
- A Pilgrim’s Performance: Practical Theology as Convening
- A New-Old Spirituality: How Spirituality has Softened and Revitalized Religion
- “God Has Commanded Me”: A Spiritual Code of a Traditional Birth Attendance (TBA)
- Book Reviews
- Ignatius Swart, Auli Vähäkangas, Marlize Rabe, Annette Leis-Peters (eds.), Stuck in the Margins? Young People and Faith-Based Organisations in South African and Nordic Localities, Göttingen (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht) 2022, 341 pp., ISBN 9783525568552, €100.00
- Birgit Weyel, Wilhelm Gräb, Emmanuel Y. Lartey, Cas Wepener (eds.), International Handbook of Practical Theology, Berlin / Boston (Walter de Gruyter) 2022, 824 pp., ISBN 9783110644555, €82.95 (De Gruyter Reference) – for open access, see: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110618150/html#contents
- Veronice Miles, Embodied Hope: A Homiletical Theology Reflection, Eugene, OR (Cascade Books) 2021, 268 pp., ISBN 9781532699863, $32.00 USD
- Ryan LaMothe, Pastoral Care in the Anthropocene Age: Facing a Dire Future Now, Lanham ML (Lexington Books) 2022, 213pp., ISBN 9781793641472 (e-book: 9781793641489), $100.00 USD
