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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Contextual Theology	Leon	Thursday, June 25, 2015
Question: What is the Catholic Church teaching on Contextual Theology. Is it a valid method of doing theology? God Bless, Leon
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Leon: Contextual Theology is rejected by the Church if by the term we mean that we change our doctrines to fit the context of modern times. The Church accepts the idea of Contextual Theology if it is to mean inculturation. One of the reasons why the Catholic Church is truly universal is because of inculturation. She recognizes cultural differences in the expression of liturgy and approves of those cultural differences as expressed by the different Rites of the Church (e.g. Latin, Byzantine, etc.). Dennis M. Doyle, in his article, The Concept of Inculturation in Roman Catholicism: A Theological Consideration, states: Inculturation is the term that Catholic leaders and theologians have used in recent decades to denote a process of engagement between the Christian Gospel and a particular culture. The term is intended conceptually both to safeguard the integrity of the Gospel and to encourage sensitivity to various cultural contexts. In times past this approach can be witnessed when the Church decided to select the date of a Feast Day on the same day as a pagan holiday. This sort of evangelization is very helpful for the pagan to move toward, to transcend into a Christian understanding. While we must always protect the Gospel and the doctrine of the Church, those issues outside of that parameter may be adapted to local cultures. Also of interest is the Vatican document, Faith and Inculturation. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Contextual Theology

Leon

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Question:

What is the Catholic Church teaching on Contextual Theology. Is it a valid method of doing theology?

God Bless,
Leon

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Leon:

Contextual Theology is rejected by the Church if by the term we mean that we change our doctrines to fit the context of modern times.

The Church accepts the idea of Contextual Theology if it is to mean inculturation. One of the reasons why the Catholic Church is truly universal is because of inculturation. She recognizes cultural differences in the expression of liturgy and approves of those cultural differences as expressed by the different Rites of the Church (e.g. Latin, Byzantine, etc.).

Dennis M. Doyle, in his article, The Concept of Inculturation in Roman Catholicism: A Theological Consideration, states:

Inculturation is the term that Catholic leaders and theologians have used in recent decades to denote a process of engagement between the Christian Gospel and a particular culture. The term is intended conceptually both to safeguard the integrity of the Gospel and to encourage sensitivity to various cultural contexts.

In times past this approach can be witnessed when the Church decided to select the date of a Feast Day on the same day as a pagan holiday. This sort of evangelization is very helpful for the pagan to move toward, to transcend into a Christian understanding.

While we must always protect the Gospel and the doctrine of the Church, those issues outside of that parameter may be adapted to local cultures.

Also of interest is the Vatican document, Faith and Inculturation.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum