Contemporary theology refers to the study and interpretation of God and the Christian faith in light of modern circumstances and ways of thinking. It engages with current issues, questions, and contexts using theological resources from Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Some key aspects of contemporary theology include:
Engagement with Modernity and Postmodernity
Contemporary theology seeks to understand and apply the Bible in a world shaped by modernity and postmodernity. Modernity refers to the Enlightenment values of reason, science, individualism, and progress. Postmodernity is skeptical of overarching stories and claims to universal truth. Contemporary theology tries to remain grounded in the biblical narrative while also appreciating insights from philosophy, science, and culture. It aims for critical realism about truth claims.
New Methods and Perspectives
Contemporary theology utilizes new methods of inquiry and adopts diverse perspectives. Methods like narrative theology and feminist theology explore different ways of imagining and describing God and humanity. Perspectives from liberation theology and postcolonial theology expose oppressive power dynamics. This expands the domains of experience addressed in theology.
Contextualization
Rather than propose universal theological formulations, contemporary theology prioritizes contextual perspectives. It seeks to understand and express the gospel in light of specific cultural locations and settings. This generates diverse contextual theologies like Latin American liberation theology, black theology, and Korean minjung theology.
Focus on Praxis
Contemporary theology connects beliefs and practices, not treating theology as an abstract, theoretical discipline. It’s concerned with orthopraxis – correct practice and action – alongside orthodoxy. Topics like ethics, ministry, and spirituality are integral, not add-ons. Theology’s implications for just social transformation are also stressed.
Dialogue with Other Disciplines
Contemporary theology interacts with other disciplines like philosophy, science, politics, and the arts. It believes holding faith critically and humbly in interdisciplinary dialogue strengthens theology. This unpacks dimensions of reality like human meaning, ethics, and possible futures. Constructive engagement doesn’t require approving all external ideas.
Religious Pluralism
In a religiously diverse world, contemporary theology grapples with questions of pluralism. Some aim for a Christianity that dialogues and collaborates with other faiths without compromising core claims. Others defend traditional exclusivist perspectives. This issue impacts topics like mission, salvation, and the nature of God.
Critical Realism
Contemporary theology largely adopts a critical realist perspective. Unlike strong theological foundationalism, it recognizes all knowledge is partial and contextual. But unlike relativism, it still upholds confident (though revisable) truth claims about God, humanity and the world. Knowledge is socially situated but objectively anchored.
Trinitarian Theology
There is renewed emphasis on Trinitarian theology – understanding God as triune communion. The Trinity grounds concepts like human relationality, community, participation, and God’s dynamic immanent presence. It shapes a non-hierarchical social vision. Trinitarian theology expands on Augustine and Aquinas.
retrieved from the Bible (ESV):
2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
2 Peter 1:20-21 – Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Christology
Christology – understanding Jesus Christ – is central to contemporary theology. Some key questions include: How do Jesus’ divinity and humanity cohere? What’s the significance of his crucifixion and resurrection? How is Jesus the definitive revelation of God? Contemporary christology builds on the tradition while asking new questions.
Soteriology
Soteriology – the doctrine of salvation – is reimagined in contemporary theology. Rather than just individual pardon from sin, salvation encompasses personal transformation, social justice, ecological redemption, communal peace, and cosmic reconciliation. Multiple atonement theories are explored. Grace and faith alone are affirmed, but connections to discipleship and justice are deepened.
Anthropology
Theological anthropology – the study of human nature – engages modern self-understandings. Theistics and naturalistic accounts of human origins are both found. Human dignity, rights, and capacities for sin and glory are probed. Questions about human destiny and the meaning of embodiment, sexuality, suffering and hope are pursued. Insights from psychology, neuroscience, and sociology inform this theological exploration of human nature.
Pneumatology
Pneumatology – the doctrine of the Holy Spirit – sees renewed attention. The Spirit’s role in missions, spiritual gifts, worship, discernment, and empowering for ministry are discussed. Pentecostal/charismatic theologies emphasize experiential encounter with the Spirit. Ecological theologies explore the cosmic scope of the Spirit’s activity in creation. Questions also arise regarding discerning spirits in a pluralistic age.
Ecclesiology
Ecclesiology – the doctrine of the church – examines the mission and structures of the body of Christ in today’s world. Issues like leadership models, sacraments, community, inclusion, ecumenism, and the role of technology are explored. Contextual political theologies reimagine the church’s public witness. Ecclesiology aims for patterns of ministry and community that faithfully continue the biblical narrative.
Eschatology
Eschatology – theology of last things – engages worldview questions about the ultimate future and meaning of creation. What continuity and discontinuity exists between this age and the coming age? How are we to understand resurrection, judgment, and the renewal of all things? What does hope look like in the face of pain, injustice, finitude, and death? Eschatology inspires vision for better futures while grounding present struggles in God’s promised new creation.
Theodicy
Contemporary theodicy grapples with the problem of evil and suffering. If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there so much wrong in the world? Answers range from free will defenses to transformative theodicies where God repurposes evil for good. The depth of Christ’s suffering on the cross provides grounds for hope in God’s solidarity with victims of violence, oppression, and tragedy.
Science
Dialogue between theology and the natural sciences continues, raising fascinating questions. How do evolutionary understandings of creation relate to the biblical doctrine of creation? What is the theological significance of the Big Bang and fine-tuning discoveries in cosmology? Do neuroscience findings have implications for understanding human nature and freedom? Contemporary theology engages science critically and constructively.
Ethics
Christian ethics sees vigorous development, tackling issues like bioethics, sexuality, business practices, just war theory, and climate change. Ethicists draw on Scripture and a range of philosophical and sociological resources. Virtue ethics explores character formation while other approaches focus on rules or consequences. Care ethics highlights relational interdependence. The diverse tools of contemporary ethics enrich moral deliberation.
Apologetics
Christian apologetics – the defense of the faith – utilizes diverse contemporary methods. Historical and evidential approaches highlight the reasonability of belief. Experiential apologetics tells stories appealing to the heart. Presuppositional apologetics starts from scriptural authority claims. Contextual apologetics connects beliefs to specific cultures and questions. This multi-pronged project aims to commend the plausibility, vitality and wisdom of Christian faith.
Worship and Liturgy
Contemporary theology of worship studies what practices and orientations best express and form faith. Debates continue regarding traditional versus contemporary worship styles. Some advocate liturgical renewal through ancient practices like lectio divina, observing the church year, and employing arts like icons, drama, and dance. The relationship between worship, justice, evangelism, and spiritual formation is explored.
Spirituality
The theological study of Christian spirituality – how to abide in God’s loving presence and grow in likeness to Christ – draws on history and diverse spiritual traditions. Forms of prayer, meditation, fasting, and practical holiness are discussed. Some retrieve monasticism while others adapt mystical traditions like Ignatian spirituality. This supplies wisdom for cultivating intimacy with God and deeper human flourishing. Theological spirituality aims for wholeness and integration in body, mind, soul, heart, strength.
Conclusion
In engaging these themes, contemporary theology aims to faithfully know, love and serve the God of truth and grace revealed in Jesus Christ. It seeks wisdom to follow Christ and bear witness in today’s complex world. By attending to Scripture, utilizing rich theological resources, and applying reason, imagination and practical wisdom to current pressing questions, contemporary theology serves the church’s vocation of faithful discipleship, joyful worship, and transformative mission for God’s glory and the world’s good.
