Theology and Religious Reflection
The discipline of theology has changed significantly since Plato coined the word to distinguish myth from logos. The discipline has been invoked to clarify the meanings of terms in theistic religion, to formulate normative claims for a religious tradition, and to systematize knowledge concerning the self-world-God relations. Theology (or in the case of non-theistic traditions, religious reflection) investigates a religion’s content, determines the important concepts of a particular religion, and inquires into the relation between lived religious practices and the critical-theoretical reflection on these practices.
Theology and religious reflection are studied in Northwestern University’s Department of Religion from different perspectives. One may investigate the history of a religion, for example Christianity or Buddhism. From this perspective theology and religious reflection describe the significant ideas articulated by historical persons who have shaped religious culture in distinct ways. They investigate religion in history, work out key religious concepts from their historical and cultural articulations, and establish the kinds of relations between them. Any descriptive enterprise must also responsibly include justification for its respective description. Historical theology and religious reflection include methodological reflection on the type of questions posed, the ways in which questions open different sets of relations, and the issues of power at stake in asking questions.
The study of theology and religious reflection can also be constructive. Historical knowledge is always knowledge established by construction. History and construction are not opposing types of theology; historical knowledge—even knowledge of the present historical time—is always established in process. Constructive religious reflection investigates the significant concepts, doctrines, and ideas that are determinative of religious content, belief and practice. The construction can be focused on the past. It can also investigate the present. Constructive thought occurs in deep discussion with contemporary culture, its pressing concerns, and its current academic discussions in order to explore alternative possibilities of conceiving the relations between religious thinking and practice. Like historical thought, constructive thought also responsibly includes methodological reflection. The enterprise of critical thinking, its justification as well as its application, is required if theology is to represent a discipline of academic viability and integrity. The production of constructive-theological knowledge must be conscious of its own tendencies to one-sided emphasis, while responsibly representing its subject matter in the construction of the whole.
These historical and constructive tasks are an open invitation to interdisciplinary dialogue. Theology and religious reflection explore religion with the tools available to the culturally specific production of knowledge. Their classical dialogue partners were grammar and rhetoric to interpret significant texts, and logic together with dialectic to establish the validity of philosophical-theological truth. Today their dialogue partners can be extended throughout the university, for example, history, the literary-linguistic disciplines, ethnography, cultural studies, even music and film. If they are to be contributing members in the academy, they must present their content and their methodological justification in communication with other academic disciplines. Furthermore theology and religious reflection can enhance academic discussion by thoughtfully presenting the religious dimension of life to discussion partners who may have erased these approaches from their academic viewpoints.
Core faculty: Christine Helmer, Cristina Traina, Barry Wimpfheimer, Brook Ziporyn, Laurie Zoloth
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