Contextual Theology

Origin of the Term:

The Theological education fund(TEF) of the world council of churches first
introduced the term “Contextual theology” in 1972 which was then headed by
a Taiwanese theologian, Shoki Coe. Before this, westerners used terms such as
accommodation, adaptation, inculturation and indigenization to denote the
methods of theological expression in non-western context.
What is Contextual Theology:
Bevan defined Contextual theology as a new way of understanding Christian
faith, on the basis not only of scripture and tradition but also of concrete
culturally conditioned human experience (Bevan. Models of contextual
theology. P.1). We confess a God who became incarnate at a particular place
and time. The Bible itself is made up of books written to particular people at
particular times. Therefore, the content is concrete and particular, not abstract
and theoretical.

Christians believe God to be present and active in each local context and in the
life we seek to build together. Therefore, is necessarily contextual. Theology is
not just a matter of academic analysis. Rather, it emerges from a life of prayer
and practice in a community that meets with God in Word and Sacrament, that
listens to the wisdom of Tradition, and that seeks to discern and respond to his
presence and action in the world. The Contextual Theology help Christians to
understand and enter more deeply into the communities where God has placed
them; to discern and respond to his presence and action, and so to engage in
faithful and effective witness.

According to Beavan there are two factors; Internal and external factors that
necessitating the development of contextual Theologies;
External factors:
1) Dissatisfaction with classical approach to theology. Particularly, in the
view of third world Christians; Asia, Africa and Latin America. The new
confidence that third world theologians could formulate their own
theology. Christians in third world countries are becoming increasingly
convinced that traditional approaches to theology do not really make
sense within their own cultural patterns and thought forms.
 1) The irrelevance of inherited/ Traditional theology for the local context;
for the local cultural traditions and world view
2) The failure of traditional theology to respond to the experience and
suffering of the local people
2) The emerging awareness of one’s own culture and realized that there are
significant values in indigenous culture. The growing identity of local
churches is contributing to the necessity of the development of truly
contextual theologies. Theology according to Lonergan, is what mediates
between a cultural matrix and the significance and role of religion in that
matrix. Theology, in other words, is the way religion makes sense within
a particular culture.

Internal factors:
1. The internal factor arises from the incarnational nature of the gospel
itself. if the message of God becoming man is to continue to touch people
through our agency, we have to continue the incarnation process through
us, God must become Asian or African, black or brown, poor or
sophisticated etc., If Christianity is to be faithful to its deepest roots and
most basic insight, must continue God’s incarnation in Jesus by becoming
contextual. God becomes a human in the person of Jesus(John 1:1) and
shares God self with us. Thus, The Doctrine of incarnation of God is not
just an ideas but in a concrete reality.
(See - Migliore, Faith seeking understanding. P. 198)

2. The second internal factor is the sacramental nature of reality. Encounter

with God in Jesus continue to take place in our world through concrete
things. Even the ordinary things of life are so transparent of God’s
presence; one can speak of culture and events in history of contexts as
truly sacramental and so revelatory. The sacramental nature of a
particular context is not something radically new,. The whole movement
of the Bible is one of interpreting the ordinary, the secular, in terms of
religious symbolism. This is the continuing task of theology; to reveal
God’s presence in a truly sacramental world.

Things to be considered:
 In the formulation of Contextual theology, one must consider linguistic,
socio-political, cultural, and ideological factors so as to develop a
relevant contextual theology.
  Language used in a particular context
 Socio-economic and Political setting of a particular culture or place.
 Values / ethics / beliefs / world view of the Culture

Contextual Theology in the Tribal context :

1. If the gospel is to be truly good news for the tribal people a new
Christology must be formulated.
2. The existing theology which is inherited from the western culture and
context is not relevant for the Tribal people.
3. Western Christology is individualistic: It emphasized on the individual
person and it lacks social dimensions. The main emphasis is individual
salvation, individual faith and individual personal life as a whole.
4. It is other worldly: The irrelevance of the imported theology is that it is
other worldly where as tribal people are communitarian society. In every
Tribal culture their world view is not human centered. Rather it is God-
Human-Creation centered.
5. Even the so called Indian Christian Theology is formulated within the
Hindu philosophical framework. Which is quite alien to the tribal world
view and their mode of thinking. Therefore, what is missing is Tribal
experience, beliefs and cultural values