Practical theologian. Congregational studies. Religion and social change. World Christianity. Comparative historical, quantitative, and qualitative research methods. Phone: 312-285-9121 Address: 319 Oregon Street Hollywood, Florida 33019
After an initial series of consultations on World Christianity that included gatherings during Ed... more After an initial series of consultations on World Christianity that included gatherings during Edinburgh 2010 and in Toronto, Asbury Theological Seminary's Center for the Study of World Christian Revitalization Movements initiated a second series of case-based consultations in East Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Latin America. The consultations are rooted in an incarnational approach and build on the Circle Method, one full of promise for the study of World Christianity.
Los grupos religiosos son movimientos con significados tan profundos para las personas, con grand... more Los grupos religiosos son movimientos con significados tan profundos para las personas, con grandes consecuencias culturales; necesitan ser vistos como movimientos sociales y ser estudiados a nivel de grupos diarios con sus dirigentes y sus seguidores. Sobre la base social y de informacion historica escogi un area poular de la area metropolitana de Caracas--Antimano--como un caso representativo de los vecindarios populares dentro de la ciudad. A continuacion resumire la historia y describire las carateristicas sociales del area y las organizationes religiosas encontradas en Antimano. A traves de entrevistas detalladas con miembros y dirigentes, revision de documentos y datos estadisticos relevantes, analizare los patrones de las historias de vida de sus miembros y sus rutinas, sus caracteristicas y sus valores.
En este capitulo hago tres cosas. Primero, discuto la experiencia historicamente especifica de la... more En este capitulo hago tres cosas. Primero, discuto la experiencia historicamente especifica de la Iglesia venezolana, mostrando como su experiencia historica particular ha conformado su comprension del mundo en que opera y al mismo tiempo ha llevado a los retos que ahora enfrenta. Segundo, analizo el impacto de recursos limitados y la competencia religiosa experimentada por la Iglesia en Venezuela en un micro nivel por medio de un analisis especifico de la Iglesia de Caracas. Las organizaciones religiosas catolicas y no-catolicas estan examinado en sus niveles institucionales e individuales para destacar la realidad religiosa venezolana contemporanea en su nivel mas basico. Concluyo considerando el efecto que las realidades sociales y politicas cambiantes han tenido en la armadura de significar dentro de vida religiosa venezolana. Las estructuras y significados de los nuevos grupos religiosos prometen efectos potencialmente dramaticos en la sociedad dentro de los cuales operan.
"In the presentation that follows, I will place the origins of Pentecostalism in Venezuela in th... more "In the presentation that follows, I will place the origins of Pentecostalism in Venezuela in the wider context of the evangelical movement in general. Correspondingly, I will refer to Pentecostalism and its distinctive experience when the available data permit me to distinguish Pentecostal from non-Pentecostal evangelicals. Much of the time, the experience of Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal evangelicals in Venezuela is too entangled to permit fine distinctions. The central goal of this chapter is a comparative evaluation of the unique reality of Pentecostalism in contemporary Venezuela. To do that, however) this analysis must start and end with the wider experience of evangelical growth and development in general."
Entries for
The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation
Georgetown University
Pastora... more Entries for The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation Georgetown University Pastoral Institutes (Catholic Universities) Christian Contributions to Sociology Venezuela and Christian Education Institutional, University, and Seminary Profiles
"Studying trends among Pentecostals, Reformation-based traditions, Catholics, and other major gr... more "Studying trends among Pentecostals, Reformation-based traditions, Catholics, and other major groupings of world Christianity can no longer be done in isolation. This is particularly true with regard to Christian revitalization. While the end of modernity may spell the demise of expectations for a single global metanarrative, the fragmentation, hybridity, and globalization characteristic of postmodernity meld previously disparate stories and trajectories. Borders have become more porous, and the story of one region or Christian confession has become more parallel and overlapping. Today more than ever, revitalization studies of any single case in any one context offer insight for cases embedded in other contexts, including other Christian traditions. This chapter explores world Catholicism in light of a particular Catholic revitalization movement in order to explore broader interpretive trends tied to questions of social change and justice in world Christian revitalization."
"In this chapter I first discuss how the historically specific experience of the Venezuelan churc... more "In this chapter I first discuss how the historically specific experience of the Venezuelan church has shaped its understanding of the world in which it operates and at the same time has led to the challenges it now faces. Second, I analyze the impact of limited resources and religious competition experienced by the church in Venezuela on a microlevel by bringing into focus the church of Caracas. Catholic and non-Catholic religious organizations are examined at their institutional and individual levels in order to portray contemporary Venezuelan religious reality and transformation at the community level. I conclude by considering the effect changing social and political realities have had on the framing of meaning within Venezuelan religious life. The emerging structures and meanings of the different religious groups promise potentially dramatic effects on the society within which they operate."
"Este capitulo ofrece una perspectiva histórica de toda la Iglesia Venezolana, pretendiendo actua... more "Este capitulo ofrece una perspectiva histórica de toda la Iglesia Venezolana, pretendiendo actualizar y destacar los trabajos de CISOR (especificamente los estudios sobre Caracas) en cuanto la organización de las parroquias, los grupos y las actividades parroquiales y, la participación laica en la vidas de la Iglesia local. El catolicismo venezolano, descrito en 1930 como diferente al resto de America Latina (Watters, 1933), hoy es algo mas que un caso representativo dentro de la región. La Iglesia católica venezolana no tiene mas de treinta años de experiencia operativa denrro de la democracia política como miembro de la sociedad civil. Tiene una larga experiencia con finanzas y personal limitado, y es consciente de las incursiones recientes de competencia religiosa por parte de los evangelicos y otros movimientos religiosos de inspiración no-católica."
"This chapter considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Lat... more "This chapter considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Latin America. Religious competition is treated as a key variable and explored in three ways. First, it is analyzed as a dependent variable, and several key factors are introduced to account for its emergence as a vital factor in Latin America today. Next, the dynamics of Latin American religious competition are examined. Finally, religious competition is considered as an independent variable with considerable potential to promote the ongoing construction of democracy in the region. Supporting data are derived from general Latin American experience as well as a representative national case, Venezuela, and a specific urban setting, Caracas. Although clearly not sufficient in itself, religious competition may be a particularly valuable support for the long-term process of democratic deepening within political and civil society throughout the region."
After an initial series of consultations on World Christianity that included gatherings during Ed... more After an initial series of consultations on World Christianity that included gatherings during Edinburgh 2010 and in Toronto, Asbury Theological Seminary's Center for the Study of World Christian Revitalization Movements initiated a second series of case-based consultations in East Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Latin America. The consultations are rooted in an incarnational approach and build on the Circle Method, one full of promise for the study of World Christianity.
Los grupos religiosos son movimientos con significados tan profundos para las personas, con grand... more Los grupos religiosos son movimientos con significados tan profundos para las personas, con grandes consecuencias culturales; necesitan ser vistos como movimientos sociales y ser estudiados a nivel de grupos diarios con sus dirigentes y sus seguidores. Sobre la base social y de informacion historica escogi un area poular de la area metropolitana de Caracas--Antimano--como un caso representativo de los vecindarios populares dentro de la ciudad. A continuacion resumire la historia y describire las carateristicas sociales del area y las organizationes religiosas encontradas en Antimano. A traves de entrevistas detalladas con miembros y dirigentes, revision de documentos y datos estadisticos relevantes, analizare los patrones de las historias de vida de sus miembros y sus rutinas, sus caracteristicas y sus valores.
En este capitulo hago tres cosas. Primero, discuto la experiencia historicamente especifica de la... more En este capitulo hago tres cosas. Primero, discuto la experiencia historicamente especifica de la Iglesia venezolana, mostrando como su experiencia historica particular ha conformado su comprension del mundo en que opera y al mismo tiempo ha llevado a los retos que ahora enfrenta. Segundo, analizo el impacto de recursos limitados y la competencia religiosa experimentada por la Iglesia en Venezuela en un micro nivel por medio de un analisis especifico de la Iglesia de Caracas. Las organizaciones religiosas catolicas y no-catolicas estan examinado en sus niveles institucionales e individuales para destacar la realidad religiosa venezolana contemporanea en su nivel mas basico. Concluyo considerando el efecto que las realidades sociales y politicas cambiantes han tenido en la armadura de significar dentro de vida religiosa venezolana. Las estructuras y significados de los nuevos grupos religiosos prometen efectos potencialmente dramaticos en la sociedad dentro de los cuales operan.
"In the presentation that follows, I will place the origins of Pentecostalism in Venezuela in th... more "In the presentation that follows, I will place the origins of Pentecostalism in Venezuela in the wider context of the evangelical movement in general. Correspondingly, I will refer to Pentecostalism and its distinctive experience when the available data permit me to distinguish Pentecostal from non-Pentecostal evangelicals. Much of the time, the experience of Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal evangelicals in Venezuela is too entangled to permit fine distinctions. The central goal of this chapter is a comparative evaluation of the unique reality of Pentecostalism in contemporary Venezuela. To do that, however) this analysis must start and end with the wider experience of evangelical growth and development in general."
Entries for
The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation
Georgetown University
Pastora... more Entries for The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation Georgetown University Pastoral Institutes (Catholic Universities) Christian Contributions to Sociology Venezuela and Christian Education Institutional, University, and Seminary Profiles
"Studying trends among Pentecostals, Reformation-based traditions, Catholics, and other major gr... more "Studying trends among Pentecostals, Reformation-based traditions, Catholics, and other major groupings of world Christianity can no longer be done in isolation. This is particularly true with regard to Christian revitalization. While the end of modernity may spell the demise of expectations for a single global metanarrative, the fragmentation, hybridity, and globalization characteristic of postmodernity meld previously disparate stories and trajectories. Borders have become more porous, and the story of one region or Christian confession has become more parallel and overlapping. Today more than ever, revitalization studies of any single case in any one context offer insight for cases embedded in other contexts, including other Christian traditions. This chapter explores world Catholicism in light of a particular Catholic revitalization movement in order to explore broader interpretive trends tied to questions of social change and justice in world Christian revitalization."
"In this chapter I first discuss how the historically specific experience of the Venezuelan churc... more "In this chapter I first discuss how the historically specific experience of the Venezuelan church has shaped its understanding of the world in which it operates and at the same time has led to the challenges it now faces. Second, I analyze the impact of limited resources and religious competition experienced by the church in Venezuela on a microlevel by bringing into focus the church of Caracas. Catholic and non-Catholic religious organizations are examined at their institutional and individual levels in order to portray contemporary Venezuelan religious reality and transformation at the community level. I conclude by considering the effect changing social and political realities have had on the framing of meaning within Venezuelan religious life. The emerging structures and meanings of the different religious groups promise potentially dramatic effects on the society within which they operate."
"Este capitulo ofrece una perspectiva histórica de toda la Iglesia Venezolana, pretendiendo actua... more "Este capitulo ofrece una perspectiva histórica de toda la Iglesia Venezolana, pretendiendo actualizar y destacar los trabajos de CISOR (especificamente los estudios sobre Caracas) en cuanto la organización de las parroquias, los grupos y las actividades parroquiales y, la participación laica en la vidas de la Iglesia local. El catolicismo venezolano, descrito en 1930 como diferente al resto de America Latina (Watters, 1933), hoy es algo mas que un caso representativo dentro de la región. La Iglesia católica venezolana no tiene mas de treinta años de experiencia operativa denrro de la democracia política como miembro de la sociedad civil. Tiene una larga experiencia con finanzas y personal limitado, y es consciente de las incursiones recientes de competencia religiosa por parte de los evangelicos y otros movimientos religiosos de inspiración no-católica."
"This chapter considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Lat... more "This chapter considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Latin America. Religious competition is treated as a key variable and explored in three ways. First, it is analyzed as a dependent variable, and several key factors are introduced to account for its emergence as a vital factor in Latin America today. Next, the dynamics of Latin American religious competition are examined. Finally, religious competition is considered as an independent variable with considerable potential to promote the ongoing construction of democracy in the region. Supporting data are derived from general Latin American experience as well as a representative national case, Venezuela, and a specific urban setting, Caracas. Although clearly not sufficient in itself, religious competition may be a particularly valuable support for the long-term process of democratic deepening within political and civil society throughout the region."
"This book examines how the United States and Panama, in an atmosphere reminiscent of Franklin D.... more "This book examines how the United States and Panama, in an atmosphere reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy, signed and ratified, over seven months in 1977 and 1978, two new treaties to govern the operation and defense of the Panama Canal into the 21st century."
"This book examines how the United States and Panama, in an atmosphere reminiscent of Franklin D.... more "This book examines how the United States and Panama, in an atmosphere reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy, signed and ratified, over seven months in 1977 and 1978, two new treaties to govern the operation and defense of the Panama Canal into the 21st century."
"Over the past thirty years, evangelicals have emerged as a serious competitor with Catholicism a... more "Over the past thirty years, evangelicals have emerged as a serious competitor with Catholicism and have been notably successful in their own evangelization strategies. For its part, Catholicism has found that its traditional forms of evangelization have not been working well in the urban conglomerations now characteristic of Latin America. This is clearly borne out in Venezuela, and in Caracas in particular."
"Two divergent experiences of Catholicism can be found in the United States today. This split rea... more "Two divergent experiences of Catholicism can be found in the United States today. This split reality offers a vast sociological - and ecclesiological - laboratory, a resource for the development of theory, and an extraordinary opportunity to observe contrasting organizational strategies."
"Catholic teaching pointedly does not refer to human beings as individuals but rather as persons.... more "Catholic teaching pointedly does not refer to human beings as individuals but rather as persons. An individual is a separate entity, a detached unit, without any necessary relationship with others. A person, however, has a personality, a unique sense of self to which others, including God, the ultimate Other, relate. Seen in this light, the goal of any given human society or organization is to advance the fullness and flourishing of the human person."
Pastoral sociology is the integration of social science methods, theory, and research findings wi... more Pastoral sociology is the integration of social science methods, theory, and research findings with the theological language and self-understanding of church life and ministry. It is, in this sense, as much a branch of practical theology as of applied social science. From applied social science comes not only survey, demographic, and other methods, but also insights from psychology together with facilitation and planning methods used in organizational work, including industrial relations, business, and other fields. As a result, practitioners of pastoral sociology include academics, pastoral planners, facilitators, consultants, and leaders of all kinds. Pastoral sociology within the Catholic Church in the United States has developed in many new ways since the Second Vatican Council. In part this is precisely because parish and diocesan life have developed dramatically, along with many areas of the Church's self-understanding. Perhaps nowhere is this clearer than within pastoral planning. Spurred by the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the signs of the times, pastoral planners moved first from a time of initial experimentation and focus on " shared decision-making " toward routinization and professionalization. Parishes developed successful new structures for ministry and found new ways to foster a strong sense of community. Most significantly, they negotiated a profound staffing transition, moving from a near exclusive reliance on priests and women religious to depending on lay ecclesial ministers and parish leaders drawn from the growing supply of theologically educated laity. A new turn was taken by the 1990s when pastoral planning came to overwhelmingly focus on pastoral reconfiguration—clustering and closing parishes in an effort to provide effective ministry in a time of fewer priests and changing Catholic demographics. In recent years, the landscape has changed further as many diocesan level functions, including planning offices, have been eliminated or considerably reduced in staff. In general, the high levels of preparation and professional training that had earlier been found within diocesan offices are now increasingly located within external organizations, consultants, and others outside vertically oriented diocesan structures. As a result, the work of pastoral planning is becoming located more within lateral resourcing networks as parishes and parish leaders become increasingly responsible to identify and link organizations and consultants needed to resource parish planning needs. This is a reflection not only of trends within Catholicism in the United States but of those within other religious traditions and within other organizational contexts as well. This larger postmodern context brings us back to the bigger picture of pastoral sociology, which is connected to these same ecclesial and social trends. Pastoral sociology is growing within the academy as various mission-driven Catholic universities find increased interest in the ecclesial role they can play—and often have an increased desire to make such a contribution. Practical theology is developing a stronger voice among theologians as they find ways to link with social scientists. Many parishes are growing in size and looking to incorporate management and planning principles in their work. Other Catholic institutions—including schools, hospitals, social services, and social justice advocacy organizations—find themselves looking for new ways to connect their pastoral mission with the social milieu. And so pastoral sociology continues to develop and transform.
This study inevitably uses only a small portion of the data available, restricting itself to thre... more This study inevitably uses only a small portion of the data available, restricting itself to three aspects of the survey findings: – The proportion of Catholics who report that a particular presidential candidate was favored by leaders of their church. – The proportion of Catholics who reported that their church leaders favored a particular candidate and yet voted for the other candidate. – The God image and political choices of Catholics who report that religion is very important to them in their political decision-making.
"Based on my sociological research, I would like to suggest four signs, or tools, for those of us... more "Based on my sociological research, I would like to suggest four signs, or tools, for those of us living in a church in transition, although they are hardly the only ones."
This article considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Lati... more This article considers the role of religion in the construction of democracy in contemporary Latin America. Religious competition is treated as a key variable and explored in three ways. First, it is analyzed as a dependent variable, and several key factors are introduced to account for its emergence as a vital factor in contemporary Latin America. Next, the dynamics of Latin American religious competition are examined. Finally, religious competition is considered as an independent variable with considerable potential to promote the ongoing construction of democracy in the region. Supporting data are derived from the general Latin American experience as well as a representative national case, Venezuela, and a specific urban setting, Caracas. Although clearly not sufficient in itself, religious competition may be a particularly valuable support for the long-term process of democratic deepening within political and civil society throughout the region.
"Pastoral sociology within the Catholic Church in the United States has developed in many new way... more "Pastoral sociology within the Catholic Church in the United States has developed in many new ways since the Second Vatican Council. In part this is precisely because parish and diocesan life have developed dramatically, along with many areas of the Church's self-understanding. Perhaps nowhere is this clearer than within pastoral planning. Spurred by the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the signs of the times, pastoral planners moved first from a time of initial experimentation and focus on 'shared decision-making' toward routinization and professionalization. Parishes developed successful new structures for ministry and found new ways to foster a strong sense of community. Most significantly, they negotiated a profound staffing transition, moving from a near exclusive reliance on priests and women religious to depending on lay ecclesial ministers and parish leaders drawn from the growing supply of theologically educated laity."
"This white paper springs from a sociological perspective and is written to test and propose idea... more "This white paper springs from a sociological perspective and is written to test and propose ideas that spring from research, observation and social theory. The author is a pastoral sociologist who thinks, therefore in terms that focus on social structures, meanings, and networks. Because this is a white paper and not a formal academic paper, this work does not cite sources. While not intended for an academic audience, the author is nonetheless deeply grateful and highly indebted to numerous thinkers and writer for the data, experience and sources of insight on which this paper is based. Greater information on sources and citations will be supplied upon request.
This paper then is neither the product of a Church leader nor a professional theologian or canonist. While a product of and deeply committed to the Catholic Church and Catholic schools, the author is a sociologist and might therefore miss much nuance or critical insights. Further, this paper is intentionally designed to approach its task as an academic or public intellectual might: wherever possible it plays with ideas and proposes thought experiments. The paper is consciously taking risks in this design, proposing issues and questions in ways perhaps differently than in commonly done, precisely in order to better attempt an exploration of the topic in an innovative, fresh way."
When houses of worship are no longer fulfilling their originally intended purpose, what measures ... more When houses of worship are no longer fulfilling their originally intended purpose, what measures are taken by communities of the faithful, cities, developers, and the real estate market to transform these buildings?
"Emerging shifts within priestly life and ministry have tracked wider societal developments, incl... more "Emerging shifts within priestly life and ministry have tracked wider societal developments, including secular advances in understanding organizational leadership, as seen in the work of pastoral researchers, consultants, and countless priests themselves. They are reflected in pastoral documents of individual bishops, the U.S. Bishops' Conference, and the Holy See. All these developments help explain why priest research became a point of intersection for the kinds of cross-disciplinary conversations characteristic of practical theology."
"Los libros citados (Stoll, David. Is Latin American Turning Protestant? The Politics of Evangeli... more "Los libros citados (Stoll, David. Is Latin American Turning Protestant? The Politics of Evangelical Growth and Diamond, Sara. Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right.) forman parte de una literatura sociologica que esta en pleno auge hoy dia, los cuales tratan sobre la transformacion religiosa de America Latina. Los ultimos estudios de Diamond y Stoll estan mas relacionados con el tema de la influencia norteamericana en el pasado y el futuro del movimiento evangelico latinoamericano. Por eso, es oportuno abrir una consideracion sobre las implicatciones de estos estudios en el embiente venezolano."
I.World Catholicism and the Future
II.Theological Associations and the Future
III.Toward a Global... more I.World Catholicism and the Future II.Theological Associations and the Future III.Toward a Global Portrait of Catholic Theology and Theological Education
How do different generations experience living in a morally uncertain world? How do you experienc... more How do different generations experience living in a morally uncertain world? How do you experience it personally and in your work? What are the major transitions within the Church and wider social life in our time? In your particular experience? How does this affect your communities and institutions, including your work? In what ways have you experienced a sense of being in a “neutral zone” today? What feels stuck? What needs to more fully “end” so that something new can “begin”? Does anything need to receive a “Christian burial” (a death or passing fully acknowledged) and to have a wake celebrated?
Initial Observations: Nature of Data
People
•Individual level: Population, Catholics, Births, Bap... more Initial Observations: Nature of Data People •Individual level: Population, Catholics, Births, Baptisms •Baptisms are the key measure •Change may come relatively quickly, but double affiliation and on-going statistical fantasies are a challenge Institutions •Organizational elements: Ecclesiastical Territories, Parishes, Pastoral Centers •Easier to start than end: institutions are communities! Personnel •Ministerial personnel: bishops, priests, deacons, lay missioners, catechists, etc. •Change is often slowest to observe: life spans combine with organizational rigidities
Is there really a generation gap in the way we see social action, spirituality, and the workplace... more Is there really a generation gap in the way we see social action, spirituality, and the workplace? If so, what differences matter most? What does it mean to work for social change at a time of dramatic transitions within church life and society in general? This session will critically engage social analysis to identity practical steps that can best help us lead an integrated life in our present moment. We will explore what it means to balance work, family and other relationships with church and spiritual commitments in the context of living and working for a more just society. To what extent does work and family embody what is best in us and our vision of a future full of hope, or not?
What do leaders within Catholic education need to know about the current impact of Catholic schoo... more What do leaders within Catholic education need to know about the current impact of Catholic schools? How can critical data be harnessed to tell the story, one that both reflects the present and points the way to the future? What exactly are the critical dimensions of the impact of Catholic schools today from the standpoint of chief administrators? This presentation will share data, develop implications, and offer action.
What makes parishes thrive?
What new models of parish life are emerging?
How does diocesan and pa... more What makes parishes thrive? What new models of parish life are emerging? How does diocesan and parish planning help?
Hypothesis: Religious values and public theologies underlie patterns of civic engagement in the c... more Hypothesis: Religious values and public theologies underlie patterns of civic engagement in the contemporary United States
What strategic questions should Catholic fundraisers be asking about the impact of our increasing... more What strategic questions should Catholic fundraisers be asking about the impact of our increasingly post-modern cultural context?
What happens when seminaries have large numbers of international students in their midst?
What is... more What happens when seminaries have large numbers of international students in their midst? What is the impact on faculty, seminarians, environment? What institutional concerns might seminary leaders need to consider? What are the challenges and opportunities for theological education in seminaries with increasing numbers of international and immigrant seminarians?
The place where religion is most dynamic in the global south is a newly constructed place, the im... more The place where religion is most dynamic in the global south is a newly constructed place, the immense megalopolis full of shanty towns and other forms of self-constructed housing. This is a radically new place, yet nonetheless related to the very heart of the city and regnant economic, political, and social forms. The physical and constructed aspects of this novel situation of place and the constructed environment have created new forms of religious life. Rapidly growing forms of pentecostalism and Islam, local adaptations and syncretisms, have emerged while long-established forms of religious life and organization are being rapidly eclipsed. This paper will focus primarily on the affinities between pentecostal Christianity and the forms of housing and life prevalent in the emerging megalopolis of the global south, using statistical data in the context of a theoretical argument based on theories of place, network, and related technologies. The paper will argue for new attention to be given to the relationship between spirituality and space (both social and physical).
Religion often frames world view. It provides a narrative by which people may explain and underst... more Religion often frames world view. It provides a narrative by which people may explain and understand their levels and kinds of civic engagement as well as patterning political mobilization and choice. Yet while political polling often measures religious tradition and levels of church attendance, it typically omits consideration of public theology and the complex ways in which public theology links to civic engagement. This paper will explore these issues in light of the design and results of Calvin College’s Henry Institute National Survey on Religion and Public Life. Data were collected from 3,002 randomly sampled persons in April 2008 and in November when they were recontacted. The results allow for an initial exploration of the intersection of public theology, civic engagement, voter mobilization, and voter choices.
What does the concept of desire add to our understanding of public theology? What does human desi... more What does the concept of desire add to our understanding of public theology? What does human desire tell us about God? How might a theologicalexploration of political desire inform our understanding of public theology? How do different forms of political desiring shape our religious understandings and how do religious desirings shape our political understandings? In what ways is this sort of “sphere” approach useful, or not? Using data from the Henry Institute Survey of Religion and Politics, a panel survey conducted before and after the U.S. presidential elections in 2008, one can explore the connection between forms of religious desire with political desire, expressed as both specific practices and preferences, as well as questions of civic engagement, including the relative influence of economic and political relationships on such forms of civic desires. This exploration of the implications of desire for public theological work promises to advance theological understanding as well as to identify the kinds of empirical theological measures that may be useful in future research.
There are several defining phases in the history of pastoral planning since its modern origins a... more There are several defining phases in the history of pastoral planning since its modern origins around the time of the Second Vatican Council. The first concentrated on developing pastoral planning as an expression of the “shared responsibility” of the laity with the ordained in pastoral decision-making and reflection. The second was about increasing professionalization and organizational development within offices of planning and research, as well as facilitation and council development and coordination efforts. The third is toward the practical concerns of pastoral reconfiguration challenge driven by fewer priests, long-overlooked shifts in population and practice, and deferred maintenance and financial questions. More significantly, however, this recon- figuration points toward new ways of resourcing faith communities as the salience of vertically-oriented structures declines in the face of new, more horizontal networks.
Globalization causes much religious change and leads to many new religious responses. What are th... more Globalization causes much religious change and leads to many new religious responses. What are the practical implications of globalization on the Catholic Church? What does the analysis of global trends within the Catholic Church teach us about the impact of pluralism, which is in turn tied to the process of globalization? Catholic affiliation, as measured by baptism figures, varies greatly around the world. There is some anecdotal evidence to associate declines in Catholic affiliation as being strongest in areas where Catholicism was formerly most strongly present. Is this the case? To what degree does pluralism support Catholic religious affiliation? To what degree does pluralism or relativism reduce rates of Catholic identity? What does the globalization of Catholicism teach us? How applicable is the situation of the Catholic Church in a particular region with the situation in another region?
"The Catholic voice in practical theology springs specifically from the profoundly Catho... more "The Catholic voice in practical theology springs specifically from the profoundly Catholic concern with the intelligibility of practice and the ways in which beliefs, sacred narratives, ritual enactments, canons, and authorities cohere into a vital community of faith."
J ust before the Second Vatican Council, a critical voice in twentiethcentury pastoral sociology,... more J ust before the Second Vatican Council, a critical voice in twentiethcentury pastoral sociology, Joseph H. Fichter, S.J. (1908-1994), had already made landmark contributions to the empirical study of the priesthood in the United States.1 Then, within the first decade after the Council, the U.S. Bishops’ Conference oversaw a major project on the priesthood in the United States, its second largest
What do national Catholic organizations look like in the United States? What is their extent? How... more What do national Catholic organizations look like in the United States? What is their extent? How do they relate to civic engagement and long term social trends? These critical questions are examined in depth, with a particularly strong emphasis on the range of national Catholic organizations, from charitable, to educational and ministerial types, with a focus on the relationships between these national Catholic organizational styles and patters of civic engagement. Contemporary survey data is discussed as are implications of de Toqueville's analysis of United States civil society.
Just as Sunday in the United States is the time most reserved for sacred practices, Saturday nigh... more Just as Sunday in the United States is the time most reserved for sacred practices, Saturday night is perhaps most identified with secular forms of diversion. These moments, so close chronologically, are perhaps also not so far apart in terms of meaning. They are forms of communication and ritual that have more in common than might at first appear. New forms of sacred practices, in fact, can be tied to what were once quite secular elements—or which both might be seen as religious. Saturday night may well be intimately connected to Sunday morning. In the case of African American Blues music the connection is compelling: although the nature of the relationship is disputed, scholars agree that Gospel music is closely tied to the Blues. This is in spite of the Blues being seen as the " Devil's music. " The nature of the sacred-secular divide is a critical question for Pentecostalism, a religious movement deeply influenced by African American religious styles since its beginnings at Azuza Street in Los Angeles some 101 years ago, as well as in charismatic movements, including the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, now in its 40 th year. Catholic connection, global connection to 500 million Pentecostals worldwide. Such phenomena have occasioned a sacralizing of secular behavior as well as a secularizing of formerly sacral elements. Their exploration permits theoretical inquiry into the relationship between religion and social change.
Uploads
The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation
Georgetown University
Pastoral Institutes (Catholic Universities)
Christian Contributions to Sociology
Venezuela and Christian Education
Institutional, University, and Seminary Profiles
The Educational Principles of the Catholic Reformation
Georgetown University
Pastoral Institutes (Catholic Universities)
Christian Contributions to Sociology
Venezuela and Christian Education
Institutional, University, and Seminary Profiles
– The proportion of Catholics who report that a particular presidential candidate was favored by leaders of their church.
– The proportion of Catholics who reported that their church leaders favored a particular candidate and yet voted for the other candidate.
– The God image and political choices of Catholics who report that religion is very important to them in their political decision-making.
This paper then is neither the product of a Church leader nor a professional theologian or canonist. While a product of and deeply committed to the Catholic Church and Catholic schools, the author is a sociologist and might therefore miss much nuance or critical insights. Further, this paper is intentionally designed to approach its task as an academic or public intellectual might: wherever possible it plays with ideas and proposes thought experiments. The paper is consciously taking risks in this design, proposing issues and questions in ways perhaps differently than in commonly done, precisely in order to better attempt an exploration of the topic in an innovative, fresh way."
All these developments help explain why priest research became a point of intersection for the kinds of cross-disciplinary conversations characteristic of practical theology."
II.Theological Associations and the Future
III.Toward a Global Portrait of Catholic Theology and Theological Education
What are the major transitions within the Church and wider social life in our time? In your particular experience? How does this affect your communities and institutions, including your work?
In what ways have you experienced a sense of being in a “neutral zone” today? What feels stuck? What needs to more fully “end” so that something new can “begin”? Does anything need to receive a “Christian burial” (a death or passing fully acknowledged) and to have a wake celebrated?
People
•Individual level: Population, Catholics, Births, Baptisms
•Baptisms are the key measure
•Change may come relatively quickly, but double affiliation and on-going statistical fantasies are a challenge
Institutions
•Organizational elements: Ecclesiastical Territories, Parishes, Pastoral Centers
•Easier to start than end: institutions are communities!
Personnel
•Ministerial personnel: bishops, priests, deacons, lay missioners, catechists, etc.
•Change is often slowest to observe: life spans combine with organizational rigidities
This session will critically engage social analysis to identity practical steps that can best help us lead an integrated life in our present moment. We will explore what it means to balance work, family and other relationships with church and spiritual commitments in the context of living and working for a more just society.
To what extent does work and family embody what is best in us and our vision of a future full of hope, or not?
What new models of parish life are emerging?
How does diocesan and parish planning help?
What is the impact on faculty, seminarians, environment?
What institutional concerns might seminary leaders need to consider?
What are the challenges and opportunities for theological education in seminaries with increasing numbers of international and immigrant seminarians?