Volume 24, Issue 2

The proliferation of contextual theologies points to the perspectival character of all theological systems, underscoring the need for epistemic humility, self-reflexivity, and openness to alterity. Yet, constructive dialogue often proves difficult due to divergent sources of authority and conflicting normative values. I consider proposals by Elaine Graham and Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger, pointing out not only how their postmodern and Barthian pastoral theological models differ, but also where they may be congruent and mutually edifying. Karl Barth attracts skepticism from both “conservatives” and “liberals,” yet each may find in him an ally, resource, and bridge for engaging the other.

In the Catholic Church, which includes in its mission the provision of school education, the significant rise of “no religion” in Western societies prompts serious new questions about how this mission can be lived out. An important response can be found in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project, which provides empirical evidence of the lived faith dispositions of members of Catholic school communities and recommends the enhancement of Catholic school identity through the recontextualisation of faith in dialogue. We argue that the dispositions of teachers are a vital factor in the development of a Catholic Dialogue School. Using aggregated data in Australia, we illustrate the importance of a teacher disposition that is intentionally and explicitly open to Catholic faith.

Spiritual caregivers increasingly care for clients with other religious/spiritual (R/S) orientations than their own. To date, the ways in which spiritual caregivers deal with these differences have hardly been explored. Based on an analysis of audio records of 34 spiritual caregiver-patient interactions, this paper describes communication techniques used by spiritual caregivers to address existential themes in conversations with patients with various R/S orientations. The model presented describes these techniques regarding the extent to which spiritual caregivers comply with the patient’s R/S orientation and disclose their own R/S orientation. This model can be used to analyze how spiritual caregivers interact with their clients.

Persons with intellectual disabilities are still regularly refused access to the Eucharist, as illustrated in an article in the Washington Post . Although Pope Francis and several Bishops’ Conferences and the new Directory for Catechesis (n°269–272) have made it clear that Catholics with disabilities have a right to participate in the sacraments as all other members of the ecclesial community, many church leaders still refrain from allowing persons with profound intellectual disabilities to access the Eucharist. This article investigates the experience of a pastoral team that prepared First Communion of a young boy with profound intellectual disabilities. The experience raised practical theological, pedagogical and pastoral ecclesial issues to be solved. These issues structure the article.

This paper explores how Philippine/East Asian discourses on ethics of face and shame can be relevant in light of cyber-sexual violence against women. It argues that lowland Philippine concept of hiya (shame) in its moral and internal sense, should be retrieved as virtue in the context of cyber-sexual violence against women. This can however be complemented by Emmanuel Levinas’ concept of the face of the Other and its reception especially in the cyber-context. Hiya (shame) as sensitivity to a loss of face of the excluded kapwa (other), leads to actions that not only helps to “gain face” but also reveal the God who enfaces.

While having a history of several decades, the practical theology movement still finds itself rather rootless in Chinese speaking societies. This paper addresses three tasks: 1. It attempts a general sketch of the history and the state of the art of practical theology in Chinese societies; 2. It seeks to explain the ostensibly late development of Chinese practical theology by referring to the unique conception of practice embedded in the Chinese cultural traditions. By doing so, it argues that the development should not be understood as “late.” Rather, it should be understood cross-culturally. 3. With this cross-cultural sensitivity, it shows that there is a lot for both the Chinese and the international practical theology movements to learn from each other.