What is Practical Theology?

Recently I began my journey towards a Ph.D. in Practical Theology at Columbia International University and Biblical Seminary. Some of my fellow pastors rightly asked me, “What is practical theology?” Then, they asked, “Why practical theology?” In short, practical theology is the discipline of theology where one moves from philosophy and theory to practice. At its core, practical theology is the practice of all other disciplines of theology, which is of vital interest to me as a pastor and theologian. Let’s take a more in-depth look as to the “what” and “why” of practical theology and then I’ll share with you the area of research that will be my mistress over the next three years.

What’s so practical about theology?

In its most simple terms, theology is the science of knowing God, his creation, and all that is found therein. Practical Theology, then, is the science of applying what one can learn about God, his creation, and all that is found therein. As Shedd writes, “All that side of the clergyman’s training, which relates to strictly theoretic branches,—for example, to philology, philosophy, and theology,—falls under the denomination of theological science; while all that part which relates to the public application of this theoretic culture, is practical theology.” (Shedd 1872, 319) 

Theology is inherently practical in that it compels the theologian to act or believe, even if that act is greater trust, worship, or rest in God. John Calvin writes, “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” (Calvin 2011, 35) That is the work of the Systematic and Practical Theologian alike, to grow in one’s understanding of true and sound wisdom about God and ourselves, and then apply those truths in a meaningful way. Practical Theology is broken into many branches that all work together in one discipline, and their primary purpose is to serve the church in its mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

Why do we need practical theology?

Practical theology is a discipline with great heritage. Universities in the United Kingdom and Scotland have historically maintained departments with this focus. But like any other discipline, there is good and bad. Take hermeneutics as an example: there are liberals who deny the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, and there are conservatives who embrace those as fundamental. Ward writes, “The problem is where something is called practical theology but does not appear on the face of it to be very theological at all.” (Ward 2017, 27) In other words, practical theology that neglects theology is simply unbridled pragmatism. Put another way, pragmatism is your theology.

For these reasons, we need strong efforts in researching the practice and practicality of theology and its effects on ministry within the church. Let’s consider preaching. How one preaches says something about what they believe. A topical preacher is one who might take several secondary points within multiple texts of Scripture and make it the point of their sermon. That is very different from the expository preacher who seeks to make the main point of a verse or passage the main point of their sermon. The topical preacher needs to rearrange Scripture to serve his goal. The expository preacher submits his goals to serve the arrangement of Scripture. One is applying a belief in the Bible’s sufficiency in a way different from the other.

What are the branches of practical theology?

The following are definitions for some of the main branches within the disciplines of practical theology. It’s important to note that practical theology is broader than these branches. Practical theology could easily include evangelism, missions, discipleship, leadership, and more.

Pastoral Studies

“The aim of pastoral studies is to develop critical reflection on and knowledge of, environment, society, the person and theology in relation to the pastoral task.” (Pattison 2007, 248) In other words, pastoral studies focuses on the theoretical and practical side of pastoral ministry done within the context of a local congregation and community.

Pastoral Theology

Pastoral theology is “that part of the clerical curriculum which relates to the clergyman’s parochial life. It contemplates him in his more retired capacity, as one who has the care of individual souls.” (Shedd 1872, 320) Further, Shedd explains that pastoral theology focuses on the personal character of the pastor and his caring for the souls under his charge. Additionally, this subdiscipline focuses on what the pastor does and how he does it in light of Scripture.

Pastoral Care

One of the simplest yet most important aspects of pastoral ministry is pastoral care. John Bisagno writes that “it is important to be like your congregation. To be like them, you need to know them. To know them, you need to spend time with them. To spend the time, you need to love your people sincerely.” (Bisagno 2001, 88) Being like one’s congregation allows the pastor to anticipate needs and be there for his people when needed most. This could include impromptu counseling sessions, words of encouragement, or simply the ministry of presence.

Ministerial Studies

Suppose pastoral studies is a subdiscipline focused on the development of pastoral skills and duties. In that case, ministerial studies is the subdiscipline focused on developing ministry workers not associated with the pastorate. This could include missionaries, evangelists, Christian non-profit workers, youth and children’s ministry, etc.

Homiletics

Homiletics is “that address from the Christian pulpit which, in its ultimate results, has given origin to all that is best in human civilization and hopeful in human destiny, must have sprung out of an intuition totally different from that which is the secret of secular and civil oratory.” (Shedd 1872, 1) In other words, it includes any oral presentation of the Bible, and its teachings, central to homiletics, is preaching God’s Word.

Moral Theology

Moral theology is “man’s free actions and the last, or supreme, end to be attained through them, as far as we know the same by Divine Revelation; in other words, it includes the supernatural end, the rule, or norm, of the moral order, human actions as such, their harmony or disharmony with the laws of the moral order, their consequences, the Divine aids for their right performance.” (Herbermann et al.) That is the application of Scripture’s moral and ethical standards for the Christian and the world.

Chaplaincy

Murray Earl defines chaplaincy as “truth, through personality, via relationships over time.” (Murray 2012, 53) In many organizations, the Chaplain serves as a spiritual advisor to leadership, organizational members, and those the organization serves. Frequently the Chaplain will need to remain religiously neutral until they are asked specific spiritual questions. It is a mission field that enables the proclamation of the Gospel as one builds relationships over time.

Researching Repentance

Now we come to my topic, which is repentance in the Christian life. More specifically, I am researching modern obstacles to the gift of repentance to Christians. Repentance is critical to Christian sanctification from the moment they “repent and believe” until Christ’s return. To me I find this topic to be critical to the health and vitality of the local church and our personal walks with the Lord. 

The branch of practical theology that most aligns with this student’s research topic is pastoral theology. Louis Berkhof writes that “It must be made perfectly clear that the sinner cannot of himself truly repent and believe, but that it is God who worketh in him “both to will and to work, for His good pleasure.” (Berkhof 1938, 460) This student’s research focuses on the modern obstacles to the active work of God in man called faith and repentance. That is the changing of one’s mind regarding God, their self, and sin. The topic could fit more squarely in a branch entitled discipleship as influenced by the systematic theology heading of sanctification.

Pastoral theology and discipleship, as defined above, interacts with the several branches of practical theology in theory and practice. Considering pastoral care and homiletics, one should instruct on faith and repentance broadly from the pulpit and narrowly in the study for counseling. Most pastors encounter people in their care who seemingly work all things to their glory or seek to earn the favor of God, which neglects the reality of God’s grace for them in Christ. In these times, pastoral care affects pastoral theology as the pastor aids the congregant in apprehending the gift God has given by his grace through faith.

Charles Spurgeon writes that “God has sent us to preach so that through the gospel of Jesus Christ the sons of men may be reconciled to him.” (Spurgeon vol. 2 1889, 264) Through the homily, which is in the branch of homiletics, men and women, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will come to believe in Jesus Christ. In their belief, they will repent of their sin, particularly their sin of unbelief. (John 16:9) If there be a chief role of the pastor, it is the feeding of God’s sheep, which is done weekly through the homily. However, in the practice of preaching, there are times where “where no fruit rewards our toil.” (Spurgeon vol. 2 1889, 264) Often, the fruit of our toil, as Spurgeon put it, is found in hours and years of visitation, patient explanations of the text, and sincere prayers for the saints of God. To be an effective Pastoral Theologian, one must find great scholarship in all matters of practical theology and the related fields.

Works Cited

Anderson, Ray Sherman. The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011.

Ballard, Paul H., and John Pritchard. Practical Theology in Action: Christian Thinking in the Service of Church and Society. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2006.

Berkhof, L. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co., 1938.

Bisagno, John R. Letters to Timothy: A Handbook for Pastors. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001.

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2. Edited by John T. McNeill. Translated by Ford Lewis Battles. Vol. 1. The Library of Christian Classics. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.

Earl, Murray D. 2012. “Christian Military Chaplaincy: ‘Being There.’” Expository Times 124 (2): 53-63.

Lehmkuhl, Augustinus. “Moral Theology.” Edited by Charles G. Herbermann, Edward A. Pace, CondÈ B. Pallen, Thomas J. Shahan, and John J. Wynne. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church. New York: The Encyclopedia Press; The Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1907–1913.

Pattison, Stephen. The Challenge of Practical Theology: Selected Essays. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007.

Shedd, William G. T. Homiletics and Pastoral Theology. New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1872.

Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to My Students: Addresses Delivered to the Students of the Pastors’ College, Metropolitan Tabernacle. Second Series. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1889.

Ward, Pete. Introducing Practical Theology Mission, Ministry, and the Life of the Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017.