Review of Linton and Mowat, "Qualitative Research and Practical Theology" -- By: Kevin Gary Smith

Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 10:1 (Sep 2010)
Article: Review of Linton and Mowat, "Qualitative Research and Practical Theology"
Author: Kevin Gary Smith


Review of Linton and Mowat, Qualitative Research and Practical Theology

Kevin Gary Smith1

Linton J and Mowat H 2006. Qualitative research and practical theology. London: SCM Press.

1. Purpose

John Linton and Harriet Mowat state their purpose as follows: ‘The primary purpose of this book is to address the question: How can we faithfully use qualitative research to provide accurate data for theological reflection?’ (vii). In other words, the book is about the use of qualitative research for practical theology. To be more specific, their objective is to show how practical theologians can use qualitative research to form or transform practices which are faithful to the gospel.

2. Summary

The book divides into two approximately equal halves. In the first half (chs. 1-3), Linton and Mowat seek to answer three fundamental questions: (a) What is practical theology? (b) What is qualitative research? (c) How can practical theology use qualitative research

methods? These three chapters constitute the theoretical core of the book. The second half (chs. 4-8) offers five concrete examples of the use of qualitative research for practical theological reflection. My summary will focus on the three key questions in chapters 1-3.

2.1. What Is Practical Theology?

Linton and Mowat define practical theology as ‘critical, theological reflection on the practices of the Church as they interact with the practices of the world, with a view to ensuring and enabling faithful participation in God’s redemptive practices in, to and for the world’ (6). The primary task of practical theology is to facilitate faithful practices—Christian communities practicing their faith in ways that are consistent with God’s redemptive mission in the world, that is, faithfully participating in the continuing gospel narrative. There is nothing pragmatic about this; practical theology strives for faithfulness more than effectiveness.

Practical theology seeks to reflect theologically on human experience, with the twin objectives of illuminating and transforming experience. It approaches experience with a hermeneutic of suspicion, wondering if what seems to be happening is what is really happening. Therefore, the practical theologian must complexify situations so as to explore them theologically. Complexified situations lend themselves to theological reflection because practices are theory- and value-laden. That is, practices embody particular beliefs; therefore, they are suitable objects of critical theological enquiry.

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