Intercultural Theology (2,5 EC)
Dr. Jos Colijn
This module is in English.
In this module, you are introduced to ‘intercultural theology’. In this discipline, we study and reflect upon ‘conversations’ between Christians from different contexts and continents. What does it mean to be Christian in various cultures and contexts? What are possibilities and pitfalls of intercultural communication and intercultural theological reflection? Paul writes, that together with ‘all the saints’ we can ‘grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ’ (Eph. 3: 16-19).
What can Dutch Christians learn from Christians in non-Western contexts?
Together we will reflect on these intercultural questions and reflect on our own Christian beliefs and practices ’through the eyes of another’.
What is Intercultural Theology?
In this module, you are introduced to the discipline of ‘intercultural theology’. In doing intercultural theology, we study and reflect upon ‘conversations’ between Christians from different contexts and continents, conversations in which theologians as well as ‘ordinary believers’ participate. We consider possibilities and pitfalls of intercultural communication, we reflect on methodologies for meeting other Christians across cultures and reflect on what intercultural theological exchange might have to offer.
Why is Intercultural Theology important?
Dutch society is increasingly multicultural and multi-religious. ‘Globalization’ brings new opportunities and challenges for Christians and churches. In their work, pastors, servants in the church and professional theologians will most likely also interact and work with Christians and non-Christians from non-Western cultures and contexts. Paul writes, that together with ‘all the saints’ we can ‘grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ’ (Eph. 3: 16-19). As Christians in a ‘global village,’ we ask what it means to be part of the ‘worldwide Body of Christ’ and how we can relate to believers from non-Western contexts, how do other Christian appropriate the faith in and for their socio-religious context and what we can mutually learn from each other.
How will we study Intercultural Theology?
We will study in an interactive way and have as much conversation and discussion in class as possible. There is a practical assignment in intercultural conversation: interviewing a Christian believer from another culture of context. This interview must be used for writing a final paper, in which the students show, that (s)he can apply the principles of intercultural theology, as studied in this module, in an intercultural conversation. One of the lectures will be done by a non-Western theologian.
What is this module offering?
This module will help you:
- to gain some basic tools and experiences for doing intercultural communication
- in your personal development – to understand and explain the possibilities and pitfalls of ‘theological conversation’ between Christians from different cultures and contexts
- to practice a learning attitude toward Christians from other contexts, needed for a fruitful intercultural theological conversation
- to experience the global dimension of growing in the knowledge of Christ.
Learning goals
The student can:
- Describe what intercultural theology is, as well (the questions about) its main concepts: culture, interculturality and religion (LOQ 1.2.3);
- Discern and evaluate basic approaches of doing intercultural theology (LOQ 1.6);
- Describe the concepts of ‘World Christianity’, ‘universality’ and ‘particularity’ of the Christian faith and the discussions related to these concepts (LOQ 5.6);
- Describe the meaning and implications of the ‘translatability’ and ‘incarnation’ of the Gospel in different contexts (LOQ 5.6.7);
- Analyse theological topics from an intercultural perspective (LOQ 1.6).
- Explain different aspects and possible problems of intercultural communication (LOQ 7.8)
- Conduct an intercultural theological conversation/interview with a person from another culture or context (LOQ 4.5.7);
- Use basic concepts of intercultural communication and theology in the description, analysis and evaluation of an intercultural theological conversation (LOQ 1.6).
- Show a receptive and spiritual attitude in an intercultural theological conversation, during the meetings and by interviewing a person from another culture or context (LOQ 5.7.8);
Content of the module
In this module we will study the following topics:
- Intercultural communication – concepts, chances and pitfalls
- Intercultural theology – definition and basic terminology (esp. concepts of ‘culture’, ‘intercultural’, ‘theology’ and ‘religion’); intercultural conversations on selected theological topic.
- World Christianity and Christian Majority world theologies
- Translation of the Gospel – questions of inculturation and incarnation (examples/case studies)
- Model for appropriation & intercultural theological conversation: ‘doing theology’ in various cultural contexts.
Format
- six meetings
- required readings as preparation for class discussion
- weekly preliminary reflections on the required readings – posted before the lectures at Canvas
- meetings & discussions in class / on-line
Study load – 2,5 EC = 70 hours
Assessment
a. Weekly reflections on the required readings, (to be posted at Canvas)
b. Paper – 1500 words
To show that you can use the basic principles of intercultural conversation, you have to interview a person from another culture or context. Choose a passage/text from Scripture, which you would like to understand better by speaking about it with a person from another culture or context. Instead of a biblical text, you can also choose a theological topic, which you would like to speak about with a person from another culture or context. Use at least two sources to describe the context of your respondent and two sources from your own context, which show how the conversation topic is treated in each context.
Grading
25% – weekly reading reports
75% – paper
Both assignments needed to be sufficient.
Entry requirements
To participate in this module, you must have completed the propaedeutic phase or the first 60 EC of your HBO education or be in possession of a VWO diploma.
