Models of Contextual Theology

Models of Contextual Theology

Stephen B. Bevans. Models of Contextual Theology. New York: Orbis Books, 2002.

Stephen Bevans, in his book Models of Contextual Theology, talks about the nature and importance of contextual theology. He explicates the fact that when we speak of theology in the present context, we take into consideration its three primary sources: ‘scripture, tradition and present human experience’. In addition to it, he has described the nature and understanding of six different models of contextual theology used in the present context. The models are described below:

The Translation Model

This model focuses in translation of meanings of the text rather than on word-for-word translation. Translation into a particular language entails capturing the spirit of a text and conveying it in a vocabulary that is natural to the native speakers of that particular language. The message thus conveyed should be functionally or dynamically equivalent, i.e. the message of the original text has been conveyed so effectively into that native language that the response of the receivers would be similar to that of the original receivers. Eugene Nida and Charles Taber highlights the success of any translation by saying, “a translation of the Bible must not only provide information which people can understand but must present the message in such a way that people can feel its relevance (the expressive element in communication) and can then respond to it in action (the imperative function).”

The Anthropological Model

This model aims at maintaining the cultural identity by an individual from Christian faith and stresses on the individual as a person. Firstly, it focuses on the value and goodness of an individual. It believes that the basic standard to identify a true contextual expression is to observe human experience that though is limited, yet brought into culture, social change and geographical and historical circumstances. Secondly, it emphasizes on authentic cultural identity, by focusing on the various aspects that construct human culture in which presence of God is seen offering life, healing and wholeness. It concentrates on what is characteristic to a people and their culture. Thus this model places human experience as one of the primary focus areas for divine revelation as well as a source of theology.

The Praxis Model

This model stresses on the identity of Christians and their role in the area of social action in a particular context. It asserts that God continues to reveal himself through His continuous action in history. Thus to discern this, it follows an ongoing cyclical pattern of Social Reality Analysis – Action - Social Reality Analysis – Action. It is also known as Liberation Model as majority of the theologians, who are interested in the area of liberation of their people from different kinds of oppression, use this model. The Praxis model focuses chiefly on the aspect of just action rather than in the process of developing right thinking. Though it emphasizes on the fact that ‘theology is done not simply by providing relevant expressions of Christian faith but also by commitment to Christian action’, it also highlights the fact that there needs to be a constant dialogue in these two areas.

The Synthetic Model

The Synthetic model coherently and logically considers the above models and combines their basic understandings and teachings along with acknowledging the impact a particular culture or context can make in the field of theology. This model also focuses on other resources of different contexts to understand the message as well as the manner in which it is dealt with leading to a reasoning of the outlook towards the context of study and the other contexts. Its emphasis on coherent and logical reasoning method to build a framework that considers different viewpoints, gives it another name, Dialectical Model. Owing to its style of openness and constant dialoguing, it is also known as ‘the dialogical model’, ‘the conversation model’ and ‘analogical model’.

The Transcendental Model

This model centers its primary attention to the inside world of the subject rather than on the objects that already exist. Thus it begins with one’s own experience as a cultural / religious subject which is more subjective in nature than from scripture, tradition, doctrines of the Church or culture which is objective in nature. It assumes that revelation is found only in an individual’s personal experience. Thus the focus is on the authenticity of the subject’s experience and not on the correctness of the content. This has lead to a criticism that this model is too abstract and more individualistic.

The Counter-cultural model

This model considers context (experience, culture, social location and social (change) as a vital factor but at the same time asserts that the context needs to be challenged and sanctified by the gospel. Practitioners of this model believe that the gospel needs to be effectively communicated ‘in the language of those to whom it is addressed and has to be clothed in symbols which are meaningful to them’. Though culture by itself is not malignant, it does have a natural inclination to undermine the true message of the gospel. The counter cultural model believes that human context is lacks absolute clarity in its basic beliefs thus requiring it to be challenged by the gospel’s power of freedom. It aims to be pertinent to the context and still continue to hold on to the gospel with steadfastness.