Conspectus, vol. 10.pdf - South African Theological Seminary

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Smith, ‘Review of Practical Theology: An Introduction’ 3. The normative task asks, ‘What ought to be going on’ 4. The pragmatic task asks, ‘How might we respond’ The book is organised around these four tasks, with one major chapter devoted to each task. In addition, there is an introductory chapter which introduces the four tasks and places them within the framework of congregational leadership, and an epilogue dealing with teaching practical theology in Christian higher education. In the interests of helping students embarking on research in the field of practical theology for the first time, I shall offer a fairly detailed, chapter-by-chapter summary of Osmer’s book. Introduction: The Four Tasks of Practical Theology Although he is conscious it will be used by academic practical theologians, Osmer’s book is intended primarily for congregational leaders. He embraces Gerkin’s (1997) model of pastoral leadership, namely, the pastor as interpretive guide. His primary objective is to equip leaders 3 to be effective interpretive guides for their congregations by teaching them how to engage in practical theological interpretation of episodes, situations, and contexts. 4 Osmer offers the four tasks of practical theology (see Figure 1) as a model that interpretive guides can use to interpret episodes, situations, and contexts theologically. 3 Osmer prefers the term ‘congregational leaders’ to ‘pastors’ because the role of interpretive guide is not restricted to pastors. 4 Osmer consistently distinguishes between episodes (single incidents or events), situations (broader patterns of events or relationships in which episodes occur), and contexts (the social and natural systems in which a situation unfolds). 100
Smith, ‘Review of Practical Theology: An Introduction’ Task Descriptive Interpretive Normative Strategic Question What is going on Why is it going on What ought to be going on How might we respond Function Priestly listening Sagely wisdom Prophetic discernment Servant leadership Figure 1: The four tasks of practical theology Osmer uses the concept of the hermeneutical circle (or, better still, the hermeneutical spiral) to clarify the relationship between the four tasks (see Figure 2). Although the four tasks are distinct, they are also connected. The interpreter must constantly move between tasks, which leads to an interpretive spiral. Descriptive task Strategic task Interpretive task Normative task Figure 2: Relationships between the four tasks 101
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Conspectus The Journal of the South
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