How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology
This article explores the question, ‘What is distinctive about doing theology as an evangelical?’ It takes an autoethnographic approach, recounting how this practical theologian has wrestled with how evangelical conviction should shape the stance for practicing theology. This article will work with...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/115 |
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| author | Sarah Lynn Bowers Dunlop |
| author_facet | Sarah Lynn Bowers Dunlop |
| author_sort | Sarah Lynn Bowers Dunlop |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article explores the question, ‘What is distinctive about doing theology as an evangelical?’ It takes an autoethnographic approach, recounting how this practical theologian has wrestled with how evangelical conviction should shape the stance for practicing theology. This article will work with the findings of the writer’s own empirical studies to develop an argument for how two stances create a distinctively evangelical practice of interpretation. First, the stance of biblicism is explored in terms of how it functions for evangelicals carrying out theological reflection. Second, the article discusses how evangelicals practice theology as though divine revelation is on-going, as Andrew Root writes, ‘Jesus still does stuff’ (2014). This leads to a stance of expectancy that God is still at work in the world and ‘talks back’. This article concludes that the implication of the stances means that practicing theology entails hermeneutics and research which decentralize the self. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7bb715afa674c2f8d970f97b972c071 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7bb715afa674c2f8d970f97b972c0712025-08-20T03:12:23ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-01-0116211510.3390/rel16020115How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> TheologySarah Lynn Bowers Dunlop0Ridley Hall and Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 9BS, UKThis article explores the question, ‘What is distinctive about doing theology as an evangelical?’ It takes an autoethnographic approach, recounting how this practical theologian has wrestled with how evangelical conviction should shape the stance for practicing theology. This article will work with the findings of the writer’s own empirical studies to develop an argument for how two stances create a distinctively evangelical practice of interpretation. First, the stance of biblicism is explored in terms of how it functions for evangelicals carrying out theological reflection. Second, the article discusses how evangelicals practice theology as though divine revelation is on-going, as Andrew Root writes, ‘Jesus still does stuff’ (2014). This leads to a stance of expectancy that God is still at work in the world and ‘talks back’. This article concludes that the implication of the stances means that practicing theology entails hermeneutics and research which decentralize the self.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/115hermeneuticsbiblicismexpectancyevangelicalautoethnographypractical theology |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Lynn Bowers Dunlop How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology Religions hermeneutics biblicism expectancy evangelical autoethnography practical theology |
| title | How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology |
| title_full | How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology |
| title_fullStr | How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology |
| title_short | How Evangelicals <i>Do</i> Theology |
| title_sort | how evangelicals i do i theology |
| topic | hermeneutics biblicism expectancy evangelical autoethnography practical theology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/115 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahlynnbowersdunlop howevangelicalsidoitheology |