This study seeks to give a broad picture of public theology and to bring this into conversation with the South African Missiologist David J. Bosch. The importance of ecclesiology for our public theology is pointed out and the development of Bosch's ecclesiology is traced from the 1970's through to Transforming Mission and beyond. From this some first conclusions are made concerning what the contribution of Bosch might be in the field of public theology. Copyright / Dissertation (MDiv)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

Den Ausgangspunkt für die vorliegenden Ausführungen stellt der Blick auf gegenwärtige und zukünftige gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen im gelebten Miteinander dar. Von Seiten der Öffentlichen Theologie wird der Anspruch erhoben einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Bewältigung gesellschaftlicher Problemstellungen liefern zu können. Die vorliegende Arbeit möchte diesen teilweise eher theoretisch erhobenen Anspruch in Verbindung mit einem praktisch umgesetzten Projekt beleuchten und dabei der Frage nachgehen, wie den bestehenden Herausforderungen begegnet werden kann. Dabei geht es explizit, um partizipative Strukturen und deren Förderung. Partizipation gilt als entscheidendes Element für ein funktionierendes, gesellschaftliches Miteinander. Partizipationsförderung mit Blick auf Jugendliche beinhaltet dabei ein aktivierendes, ein förderndes und ein zuwendendes Element. Im Rahmen dieser Untersuchung soll der Frage nachgegangen werden, welche Zugangswege Jugendliche zu partizipativem Engagement nehmen, wie diese ausgestaltet und erlebt werden und wie es verstärkt oder gefördert werden kann. Von der Beantwortung dieser Fragen werden konkrete Handlungsoptionen für das Forschungsprojekt STC-Bremen abgeleitet und darüber hinaus verallgemeinerbare Interpretationen geliefert, welche anderen konkreten Handlungsfelder bei der Weiterentwicklung helfen sollen. / The basis for the work at hand is a look at current and future societal challenges in living together in communities. Public Theology claims to offer an important contribution as far as the overcoming of societal issues is concerned. The aim of this research is to shed light on this theoretical claim by relating it to a practically applied project while asking the question how the existing challenges can be dealt with. It is explicitly about participatory structures and their advancement. Participation is considered a key element for functioning communities in society. The advancement of participation for young people contains an element of activation, support and care. This research investigates which access paths the young people chose for their participatory engagement, how these are designed and experienced, and finally, how these paths can be strengthened and developed. The response to these questions resulted in concrete courses of action for the research project STC-Bremen, and furthermore, in generalized interpretations which can aid the development of other fields of action. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Practical Theology)

This project is a constructive effort in the area of practical and public theology as part of my larger purpose of contributing to the positive transformation of post-communist Eastern Europe. It is driven by the substantiated conviction that spiritual autobiography is not only a legitimate form of religious discourse but that can also serve as a vehicle for personal transformation and a tool of transformative leadership. One of the central purposes of this project is to prepare the author for writing a faithful and effective spiritual autobiography that can reach a broader audience and have transformational effects on readers. By producing my own spiritual autobiography, I seek to add a new dimension to my existing theoretical and practical work in the area of public theology with the hope that readers will not only recognize and positively respond to God’s call but also become responsibly engaged in transforming this world towards greater justice, freedom, and peace. / 2025-03-22T00:00:00Z

Summary in German and English / Text in German / Diese Arbeit ist eine detaillierte Analyse von Gottesdiensten und Predigten, die im Rahmen öffentlicher Gedenkveranstaltungen nach katastrophalen Krisenereignissen gehalten wurden. Untersucht wurde die Frage, wie angesichts einer heterogenen Ge-sellschaft und einer breiten Öffentlichkeit, in öffentlichen Trauergottesdiensten Trost gegeben und von Hoffnung geredet wurde. In Thesen werden mögliche Kriterien ge-geben, wie in ähnlichen Situationen angemessen von der christlichen Hoffnung gere-det werden kann. Die Schlussfolgerung ist, die Predigt als Teil des Gesamtgeschehens wahrzunehmen und den Gottesdienst, mit der Musik, den Liedern, Lesungen und Ri-tualen, als eine Art Gesamtkunstwerk und auch als kontextualisiertes Antwortgesche-hen an die Teilnehmenden unterschiedlichen Hintergrunds zu verstehen. Die Predigt, profiliert in der christlichen Botschaft, soll respektvoll die Unterschiede in Gesell-schaft, Glaube und Person achten. Der reiche Schatz des biblischen Kanons kann in der Predigt, im Gebet, Gesang und in den Ritualen reflektiert werden, insbesondere durch die Psalmen mit ihrer formulierten Klage, und mit der christlichen Hoffnung ins Gespräch gebracht werden. / This work is a detailed analysis of worship services and sermons delivered during pub-lic commemoration events after catastrophic events of crisis. The question is explored how, in the face of a heterogeneous society and a broad public presence, comfort was given in public commemoration services and how hope was reflected. In closing the-ses, possible criteria are given for adequately speaking of Christian hope in similar sit-uations. The conclusion is that the sermon should be perceived as part of the whole process and that worship, with its music, songs, readings and rituals, should be under-stood as a kind of Gesamtkunstwerk and also as a contextualized response to the par-ticipants of different backgrounds. The sermon, profiled in the Christian message, should respect the differences in society, faith and person. The rich treasure of the biblical canon can be reflected in preaching, prayer, song and ritual, in particular through the psalms, with their formed lament, and brought into conversation with the Christian hope. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Phil. (Theology)

[pt] A presente tese tem por objetivo analisar a teologia pública brasileira, a partir da ética da responsabilidade de Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Nós nos propomos ao seguinte desafio na problemática: em que circunstâncias a ética da responsabilidade bonhoefferiana pode contribuir para a teologia pública brasileira? Para enfrentar tamanho desafio escolhemos na dimensão geral da pesquisa um caminho metodologicamente dialético, à medida que avaliamos amplamente os pormenores da teologia pública brasileira e da ética da responsabilidade bonhoefferiana, alcançamos uma reflexão dialógica e propositiva. De maneira específica, o desenvolvimento da tese será dividido em cinco partes. Na primeira parte faremos uma análise histórica do desenvolvimento da teologia pública brasileira no século XX, abrangendo os diálogos com escolas internacionais de teologia pública e as produções a partir dos institutos de pesquisa e propagação acadêmica, sendo o nosso status quaestionis. Na segunda parte, faremos um recorte conceitual dentro da teologia pública brasileira, esse recorte se desvelou após a reflexão sobre o papel da teologia na sociedade e o seu diálogo com a esfera pública. Definimos essa sistematização como teologia da cidadania. Na terceira parte, nós nos debruçamos sobre a vida e obra de Dietrich Bonhoeffer, evidenciando o vívido entrelaçamento entre teologia e prática de vida. Na quarta parte, faremos um recorte conceitual de sua teologia, no caso a sua ética da responsabilidade, a partir de textos selecionados. Por fim, iremos propor um diálogo para avaliar caminhos e desafios entre a teologia da cidadania e a ética da responsabilidade bonhoefferiana. Como resultado, este trabalho espera trazer pontos de contato que privilegiam ações teológicas ético/responsáveis na sociedade em prol do bem comum e valorização do ser humano. / [en] This thesis aims to analyze Brazilian public theology, based on Dietrich Bonhoeffer s ethics of responsibility. We propose the following challenge in the problem: under what circumstances can Bonhoeffer s ethics of responsibility contribute to Brazilian public theology? To face such a challenge, we chose a dialectical methodological path in the general dimension of the research, as we broadly evaluate the details of Brazilian public theology and Bonhoeffer s ethics of responsibility, reaching a dialogic and propositional reflection. Specifically, the development of the thesis will be divided into five parts. In the first part, we will carry out a historical analysis of the development of Brazilian public theology in the 20th century, encompassing dialogues with international schools of public theology and productions from research institutes and academic propagation, being our status quaestionis. In the second part, we will make a conceptual cut within Brazilian public theology, this cut unfolded after reflecting on the role of theology in society and its dialogue with the public sphere. We define this systematization as theology of citizenship. In the third part, we delve into the life and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, highlighting the vivid interweaving between theology and life practice. In the fourth part, we will make a conceptual cut of his theology, in this case his ethics of responsibility, based on selected texts. Finally, we will propose a dialogue to evaluate paths and challenges between the theology of citizenship and Bonhoeffer s ethics of responsibility. As a result, this work hopes to emphasize points of contact that privilege ethical/responsible theological actions in society for the common good and the valorization of the human being.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Beyers Naudé has long been revered as one of South Africa‘s most influential church and civil leaders. He has been acclaimed both nationally and internationally as a symbol of hope. Recent developments at Stellenbosch University, with regards to the HOPE Project and the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, have given rise to renewed academic interest into the life and witness of Beyers Naudé, and specifically the concept of hope. The focus of this study is the contribution of Beyers Naudé to Christians‘ advocacy of hope in public life. A theological historical reading of his public speeches from 1960 to 1990 is conducted in an analysis of his advocacy of hope. A heuristic framework is used in order to investigate the nature and method in which Beyers Naudé employed the concept of hope in his public addresses. This framework is constucted by drawing on the concepts of hope, public theology and historiography, resulting in what I have termed a 'historically hopeful citizenship‘. A chapter is dedicated to a biographical overview of Naudé‘s life and witness in order to understand the influences in his life and to work with hermeneutical sensibility in analysing his addresses. Furthermore, this study is concerned with exploring the possible contours of hope in Naudé‘s addresses and finally asking whether an understanding of the nature and use of these notions of hope could contribute historical and conceptual knowledge about the church‘s public witness and whether this can have implications for the field of public theology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beyers Naudé word al vir baie jare as een van Suid-Afrika se mees invloedryke kerk- en samelewingsleiers geag. Hy is al op nasionale, sowel as internasionale vlak beskou as 'n simbool van hoop. Onlangse ontwikkelinge aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, met betrekking tot die HOOP Projek sowel as die Beyers Naudé Sentrum vir Publieke Teologie, dra by tot hernude akademiese belangstelling in die lewe en werk van Naudé, sowel as in die konsep van hoop. Sy bydraes was veral beduidend in die publieke lewe gewees. Die fokus van hierdie studie is dus Beyers Naudé se bydrae tot Christene se voorspraak van hoop in die publieke lewe. 'n Historiese, teologiese ondersoek word ingestel op die publieke toesprake van Naudé van 1960 tot 1990. Hiervoor word 'n heuristiese raamwerk gebruik om die metode en aard van Naudé se voorspraak van die konsep van hoop in sy publieke toesprake te bestudeer. Dié raamwerk maak gebruik van die konsepte van hoop, publieke teologie, en historiografie en loop uit op 'n burgerskap ingebed in historiese hoop. ‘n Biografiese oorsig word gegee van Naudé se lewe en werk om die verskillende invloede in sy lewe uit te lig en sodat hermeneutiese verantwoordelikheid en verantwoordbaarheid verseker word. Hierdie studie werp verder lig op die kontoere van hoop in die toesprake en ondersoek die moontlikheid dat ‘n verstaan van die aard en gebruik van dié opvattings van hoop sal kan bydra tot historiese en konseptuele kennis van die kerk se publieke getuienis en of dit implikasies inhou vir die studieveld van publieke teologie.

Esta tese de doutorado procura apontar alguns caminhos para a teologia pública no contexto brasileiro de modo que mantenha uma identidade com a tradição teológica da América Latina da teologia da libertação. Para atingir este objetivo, usou-se como recurso o diálogo com a reflexão teológica sul-africana pós-apartheid, que, como se procurará demonstrar, trilhou caminho semelhante na formulação de teologias públicas mais afeitas ao contexto democrático. Inicialmente, será oferecido um apanhado histórico da África do Sul, bem como uma breve reflexão sobre o processo de transição política que resultou no contexto democrático atual. No segundo capítulo serão mencionadas algumas características sociopolíticas da África do Sul durante e após os mandatos dos presidentes Nelson Mandela e Thabo Mbeki. Serão apontados alguns desafios atuais do contexto sul-africano, advogando-se por certa correspondência com desafios que são enfrentados no Brasil. No terceiro capítulo será oferecida uma leitura dos sinais dos tempos por teólogas e teólogos sul-africanos contemporâneos, identificando desafios para a teologia e para as igrejas no contexto atual. O quarto capítulo fará, além de uma breve exposição de percepções de teologia pública, um mapeamento de três tipos de teologias públicas sul-africanas: teologias anti-apartheid, teologias de transição e teologia pública atual. No último capítulo será feita uma abordagem de teologia pública enquanto teologia para o desenvolvimento, identificando modos através dos quais essa teologia pública permanece conectada à tradição da teologia da libertação e, ainda assim, apresenta uma abordagem adequada aos desafios dos contextos democráticos brasileiro e sul-africano. / This doctoral dissertation seeks to point out some ways for a public theology in a Brazilian context so that it maintains identification with the Latin American theological tradition of liberation theology. To achieve this objective, dialogue with the South African post-apartheid theological reflection was used as a resource tool, which, as we will try to show, took a similar way in the formulation of public theologies more suitable for the democratic context. Initially, we will offer an historical overview of South Africa, as well as a brief reflection about the political transition which resulted in the actual democratic context. In the second chapter some sociopolitical features of South Africa will be mentioned during and after the presidential terms of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Some actual challenges will be pointed out, showing similarities with the challenges faced in Brazil. In the third chapter we will offer a reading of the signs of the times by contemporary South African theologians, identifying some challenges for theology and the church in the current context. In the fourth chapter we will show, besides a brief introduction to some perceptions of public theology, a mapping of three types of South African public theologies: anti-apartheid theologies, transition theologies, and the actual public theology. In the last chapter an approach will be made which considers public theology as theology for development, identifying ways through which this public theology remains connected to the tradition of liberation theology and still presents an adequate approach to the challenges of the Brazilian and South African democratic contexts.

Com base em um diálogo entre a teoria política de Jürgen Habermas e correntes da teologia contemporânea, nomeadamente, a teologia da libertação e a teologia pública, afirma-se o potencial político-democrático de uma teologia ancorada no mundo da vida para o processo comunicativo conduzido na esfera pública. O primeiro capítulo oferece uma introdução aos principais conceitos da obra de Habermas e sua recepção na teologia, destacando-se a centralidade de temas como emancipação, libertação, política e religião no diálogo entre Habermas e a teologia. O segundo capítulo é dedicado à exposição do conceito habermasiano de mundo da vida e à noção de uma teologia desenvolvida a partir da dimensão do mundo da vida. Como pano de fundo de todo entendimento possível, o mundo da vida constitui um horizonte de sentido reproduzido através da prática comunicativa cotidiana. Análises de mundo da vida levam em consideração a perspectiva intersubjetiva dos próprios atores inseridos em situações concretas de vida. Visões intersubjetivas de mundo encontram-se expressas em narrações, interpretações de experiências cotidianas, símbolos culturais e religiosos, esperanças partilhadas e mobilizações conjuntas. A teologia da libertação pode ser entendida como um esforço sistematizado de realização do pensamento teológico a partir da dimensão do mundo da vida. Uma teologia a partir do mundo da vida toma como material para sua reflexão aspectos da formação da subjetividade, expressões da cultura e da organização em sociedade e ajuda, em um segundo momento, a canalizar esforços comunicativos do mundo da vida para a esfera pública. O terceiro capítulo é dedicado ao conceito habermasiano de esfera pública e aponta para tarefas da teologia nesse espaço. A esfera pública é descrita como uma rede comunicativa que conecta o mundo da vida ao sistema político na medida em que nela se tematizam e problematizam questões identificadas pelas pessoas em seu contidiano. Uma teologia ancorada no mundo da vida ajuda no processo de tematização de demandas do mundo da vida na esfera pública, e contribui para a tarefa de tradução de conteúdos religiosos em uma linguagem acessível tanto para pessoas religiosas quanto para pessoas não religiosas. A teologia pública, ao defender o encontro da teologia com diferentes parceiros de diálogo, mostra-se como uma perspectiva frutífera para o desenvolvimento da tarefa tradutora da teologia. Em seu vínculo com o mundo da vida e em sua atuação na esfera pública, uma teologia cristã é desafiada e motivada por três princípios fundamentais característicos da tradição judaico-cristã: rememoração, profecia e libertação. A memória de sofrimento e libertação alimenta a prática profética do discernimento orientada para o anúncio e busca de libertação nos mais diversos âmbitos da vida humana. Finalmente, no quarto capítulo, o modelo de uma teologia ancorada no mundo da vida e atuante na esfera pública é vislumbrado em relação a diferentes questões teóricas que perpassam o diálogo entre Habermas e a teologia, formulando-se as seguintes teses: a fé não anula a importância da razão; a prática argumentativa na esfera pública pode ser meio para a inclusão de grupos excluídos; a teologia na esfera pública pode ser construtiva para um processo políticodemocrático; teologias da libertação são importantes em uma democracia; e a materialidade da ética não é possível sem sua intersubjetividade, ao mesmo tempo em que a ética não é possível sem a preservação da materialidade da vida. Em termos gerais, desde a perspectica da teoria política de Habermas, a presente tese de doutorado afirma o valor político de uma teologia ancorada no mundo da vida e atuante na esfera pública; e, desde a perspectiva da teologia, afirma o valor teológico da palavra criadora da vida cotidiana para um processo político inclusivo, orientado para a promoção de vida em abundância para todas as pessoas. / Based on a dialog between the political theory of Jürgen Habermas and currents of contemporary theology, namely, liberation theology and public theology, this dissertation affirms the political-democratic potential of a theology anchored in the lifeworld for the communicative process conducted in the public sphere. The first chapter offers an introduction to the main concepts of Habermas' work and its reception in theology, highlighting the centrality of themes such as emancipation, liberation, politics and religion in the dialog between Habermas and theology. The second chapter is dedicated to the presentation of the Habermasian concept of lifeworld and of the notion of a theology developed from the lifeworld dimension. As background of all possible understanding, lifeworld constitutes a horizon of meaning reproduced through daily communicative practice. Lifeworld analyses take into consideration the intersubjective perspective of the actors themselves placed in concrete life situations. Their intersubjective worldviews are found expressed in narratives, interpretations of daily experiences, cultural and religious symbols, shared hopes and joint mobilizations. Liberation theology can be understood as a systematized effort of carrying out theological thought based on the lifeworld dimension. A theology anchored in the lifeworld uses as material for its reflection aspects of the formation of subjectivity as well as cultural and organizational expressions in society and helps, in a second moment, to channel communicative efforts of the lifeworld to the public sphere. The third chapter is dedicated to the Habermasian concept of public sphere and points out tasks for theology in this space. The public sphere is described as a communicative network which connects the lifeworld to the political system to the extent in which issues identified by people in their daily lives are thematized and problematized within it. A theology anchored in the lifeworld helps in thematizing the demands of the lifeworld into the public sphere and contributes to the task of translating religious contents into an accessible language both for religious as well as for non-religious people. Public theology, in defending the encounter of theology with different dialog partners, shows itself as a fruitful perspective for the development of theology's translating task. In its tie to the lifeworld and in its work in the public sphere, Christian theology is challenged and motivated by three main fundamental characteristics of the Judeo-Christian tradition: remembering, prophecy and liberation. The memory of suffering and liberation feeds the prophetic practice of discernment oriented to the announcement and quest of liberation in the various ambiances of human life. Finally, in the fourth chapter, the model of a theology anchored in the lifeworld and active in the public sphere is visualized with regard to different theoretical issues which permeate the dialog between Habermas and theology, with the formulation of the following theses: faith does not annul the importance of reason; the argumentative practice in the public sphere can be a means of inclusion of excluded groups; theology in the public sphere can be constructive for a political-democratic process; theologies of liberation are important in a democracy; and the materiality of ethics is not possible without its intersubjectivity while at the same time ethics is not possible without preserving the materiality of life. In general terms, from the perspective of the political theory of Habermas, the present doctoral dissertation affirms the political value of a theology anchored in the lifeworld and active in the public sphere; and from the perspective of theology it affirms the theological value of the creative word of daily life for an inclusive political process orientated toward the promotion of life in abundance for all.

O presente trabalho se localiza no diálogo entre a atuação da Frente Parlamentar Evangélica e Apoio à vida (FPE) e a Teologia Pública em temas relacionados à participação social, dentro do escopo maior da relação entre religião e sociedade, como um jeito próprio de aproximação das igrejas de viés conversionistas aos temas da política nacional. O trabalho é organizado em três capítulos, sendo o primeiro relativo a considerações sobre a FPE e sua história e atuação, enquanto o segundo traz características e impressões a respeito das novas configurações do mundo evangélico e do debate político pela internet. Por fim, no terceiro capítulo encontram-se algumas considerações sobre a atuação da FPE a partir da Teologia Pública como uma ferramenta reflexiva e crítica dos pressupostos erigidos como princípios defendidos pelos parlamentares evangélicos reunidos na FPE. / This paper focuses on the dialog between the work of the Frente Parlamentar Evangélica [Evangelical Parlamentary Front], Apoio à vida (FPE) [Support of Life] and Public Theology on themes related to social participation, within the broader scope of the relation between religion and society, as a specific way of approximating the churches of conversion leanings to the national political themes. The work is organized in three chapters, being the first about considerations of the FPE and it history and work, while the second brings characteristics and impressions with regard to the new configurations of the Evangelical world and the political debate on internet. Finally, in the third chapter, there are some considerations about the work of the FPE using Public Theology as a tool for reflective and critical considerations of the presuppositions lifted up as principles defended by the Evangelical parliamentarians gathered in the FPE.

[pt] A pesquisa tem como propósito entender o ethos protestante: suas potencialidades, acertos e fracassos, especialmente em terras brasileiras. E, dentro desse universo, guarda uma questão específica referente ao papel social desse protestantismo. O cerne do estudo é simples e pode ser consubstanciado pela seguinte questão: o protestantismo brasileiro, em seu trajeto histórico no nosso país, deu alguma contribuição realmente relevante em termos sociais e políticos? A pergunta expressa curiosidade pelas questões estruturais mais profundas, marcas indeléveis impressas pelo protestantismo na sociedade brasileira. Elas existem? Se sim, quais são? E como ocorreram? Se não, o que deu errado? E por quais motivos? A essa questão maior segue-se uma segunda. Na história remota do protestantismo, desde as origens europeias, haveria características e compromissos idiossincráticos desse ramo do cristianismo que servissem de inspiração e de norteadores para que o protestantismo nacional construísse uma proposta eclesial e uma práxis social relevantes? / [en] This research aims to understand the protestant ethos: its potential, successes and failures, especially in Brazil. Within this overall theme, it deals with the specific question of the social role of Protestantism. The core of the study is simple and can be framed by the following question: Did Brazilian Protestantism during its history really give relevant contributions to this country in social and political terms? The question expresses curiosity about the deeper structures and the indelible print marks which Protestantism might have left in Brazilian society. Do they exist? If so, where are they? And how did they happen? If they do not exist, what went wrong? And for what reason? This larger question is followed by a second one. Were there in the remote history of Protestantism at its European origins special characteristics and idiosyncratic commitments that could have inspired and oriented the national Protestant Church to build a relevant ecclesial model and social praxis?