summative essay filipdecavel dthm 2013 14bis
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Durham University
Summative Essay Paper
Participation and Mediation: A Practical Theology for the Liquid Church
by Pete Ward
THEO42530 - Practical Theology: Engagement and Evaluation
BY
Filip De C avel (DThM, Durham)
Durham, UNITED KINGDOM
13 December 2013
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INTRODUCTION
Although Pete Wards Participation and Mediation reads like a whos who of
systematic a d !ractical theology" missiology" a d cultural studies" Ward writes a a theologia
i his ow right offeri g a #le d of theological a d cultural $oices to su!!ort his ow !ro%ect&
'ow ca !ractical theology i dialogue with systematic theology offer a methodological
model to the church that is (missio aly i teracti g with the flow of )theology* i !o!ular
culture+ ,
-esides the likes of other ota#le theologia s like ./rge 0oltma a d 0irosla$
1olf" to ame a few" Ward writes origi al a d k owledga#le for the Post2
3$a gelical4Reformed christia " #e he a A glica who fa$ours 5resh 36!ressio s" or the
charismatic e6!erime ti g with alter ati$e worshi!7
Ward is ot !articular k ow for a formal co ectio to the 3mergi g Church
0o$eme t 83C09" 5resh 36!ressio s or similar mo$eme ts" #ut either are 0oltma " et al7 :
;till all of them" a d ma y more" ha$e i flue ced the 3C0s theology a d its si#li g
e6!ressio s as they de$elo!ed duri g the last decade7 Wards readers" at the time of writi g
PaM, might ha$e e6!ected a easy a d welcomed stroll i the !ark 2 Ward" #ei g a youth2
worker and ha$i g the classifier Liquid i his #ook title surely must ha$e set some o the
wro g !ath7
1 Pete Ward" Participation and Mediation: A Practical Theology for the Liquid Church "8
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-ut" accordi g to Ro#ert Door e #al" Ward offers a academic a d thoroughly
theological" accou t of (the more re$isio ist streams of the 3mergi g Church7 B (Re$isio ists
mi ister as !ostmoder s7 Worki g from a more !ostmoder co structi$ist !aradigm" these
re$isio ists stress a (stro gly e6!erie tial" socially acti$ist" i clusi$e" !luralist" !ilgrims2o 2
the2way" this2world affirmi g commu ity" a a!!roach co trary to the (Rele$a ts who
mi ister to !ostmoder s a d the (Reco structio ists who mi ister 'ith !ostmoder s7
-ou daries #etwee these streams are am#iguous si ce these la#els themsel$es are
fluid a d o e eeds to #e careful as ot to e uate the la#el with a !erso or su#2stream of
either these a!!roaches withi the 3C07 ;till" there is ge eral agreeme t that the re$isio ists
are co sidered the more !rogressi$e stream o this s!ectrum7
At this !oi t it seems i a!!ro!riate to categorise PaM as re$isio ist i ature #ut i
the co cludi g cha!ter Ward challe ges" through the e6am!le of TaiEF" the assum!tio that
theological ca!ital is o ly ge erated withi co gregatio al setti g7 TaiEF" Ward asserts" (is a
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A
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a d" seco dly" what is the shape of the !ractical theology that offers the tools for the fluid or
li uid church+
Agai st this !articular co te6t wherei PaM was writte I will offer reflectio o
three areas co$ered i this #ook& 8,9 A short summary of PaM #ased o what I u dersta d to
#e the !i$otal cha!ter of the #ook" cha!ter " Co##union and Mediation " 8:9 a
reflectio o the origi ality of the way Ward addresses Co##union as the mai em!hasis
o deali g with the ature of theology i light of the shape of theology a d 8B9 offeri g
co structi$e reflectio #y way of e6!lori g rece t co tri#utio s from the field of systematic
a d !ractical theology M i !articular those co tri#utio s deali g with the methodological
uestio s surrou di g the im!leme tatio of a !ractical theology i relatio to Wards use of
;ocial Tri itaria ism+ ?
As for the !ractical a d methodological co tri#utio " I will i teract with 'ele
Camero 7 ,= As for the systematic theological !art of PaM " there will #e i teractio with the
work of .e s immerma 7,,
The Commu io 83ucharist9 will #e the commo !oi t of refere ce i all of these
i teractio #etwee aforeme tio ed authors7
9 To disti guish #etwee !ractical theology a d the other M ofte systematic M theology used i PaM " Iwill refer to the latter as for#al theology i light of Camero s four theological $oices7
10 'ele Camero " Tal)ing A out God in Practice: Theological Action esearch andPractical Theology 8
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CO00UNION AND 03DIATION
I e6!lori g the way Ward addresses the ature of formal theology a d the sha!e of
!ractical theology" the $a tage !oi t will #e that of Wards se$e th cha!ter o the 3ucharist or
Commu io 7 This might seem out of !lace #ut there are at least two good reaso s for this
a!!roach7
5irstly" i a seemi gly chiastic fashio " Ward ce tres the two themes of ature a d
sha!e of theology arou d the 3ucharist 8(Commu io 97 The 3ucharist #ecomes the !i$otal
e6!ressio where#y the relatio shi! #etwee theology a d culture #ecomes o!erati$e7 ,:
U! u til ow" !re$ious cha!ters were hea$y o frami g a systematic theology a d
cultural theory" i formi g the reader of the Tri itaria !atter i g i !artici!atio that could #e
of e$aluati$e ature for the church7 The co se ue t cha!ters mo$e toward reflectio s o how
!articular cultural a d ecclesiological e6am!les from the wider 8christia 9 !o! culture ser$e
as case studys" e6!lori g artefacts 8 things 9 as the WW.D2#racelets a d liturgical
e6!ressio s like the Protesta t #ut also ecume ical commu ity of TaiEF7;eco dly" cha!ter se$e is a cha!ter where Ward shi es i origi ality& 36ce!t the odd
e6em!tio " there are o refere ces to world class theorists" theologia s or missiologists7 ,B This
cha!ter is the culmi atio of two strai of thoughts #ei g e6!lored #y Ward& At the o e ha d"
there is the study of #oth 8,9 !artici!atio i7e7 the relatio al u dersta di g of the Tri ity as
#ei g i commu io " e6te ds itself to the life of the Christia commu ity a d 8:9 mediatio
i7e7 which a imates the theological7
O the other ha d there is the acti$e !artici!atio of the Christia commu ity
!erformi g through a d $ia the liturgical 8co 9te6ts resulti g i !roductio " re!rese tatio
a d co summatio 7
12 Ward" Participation and Mediation " !7 ,:,713 Pete Ward" (3sse tially ;tra ge" i Mass Culture: Eucharist and Mission in a Post-Modern
orld " ed7 #y Pete Ward" !7 BB7
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I short" i cha!ter se$e " Ward highlights the !resu!!osed co ectio #etwee the
nature of theology with the shape of !ractical theology" the i teractio #etwee the
!artici!atio 4mediatio a d the !roductio 4re!rese tatio 4co summatio 7 It is Wards o!i io
that the 3ucharist offers a em#odied !erforma ce where doctri e a d e6!erie ce" historical
traditio a d the !rese t co te6t tra sce d the dualistic a!!roaches he war s a#out i the first
cha!ter& Culture #ecomes truly a mediati g !art er #etwee moder dualistic a!!roaches of
!ractice a d theory" social scie ce a d doctri e" a d (KdLisem#odied theology is #ei g
re!laced #y co cer to locate the doctri al i the !ractices7 ,
It is worthwhile oti g the similarities #ut also the e$olutio Ward made #etwee his
earlier reflectio o commu io i Mass Culture a d this cha!ter7 I Mass Culture Ward
is adama t a#out the eeded co ectio #etwee the missio al church a d culture" a
co ectio that is resourced #y commu io 7 ,G
-y reflecti g o the history of youth culture si ce the se$e ties u! u til the eighties"
Ward e ters the discussio o how a the !ractice and the theology of the commu io ca
mutually e rich each other so that a mo$e towards the o 2#elie$er a d the !o!ular culture i
which he mo$es" #ecomes a reality7 ,H I !articular Ward a alyses the way Christia youth" a d
the way they mo$e #etwee differe t cultural sce es" where#y (KtLhe !ro#lem is the e6te t to
which they are a#le to tra s!ort their faith" which is $ery much ali$e i the Christia cultural
sce e" with them as they %our ey7 , This !ro#lem seems to origi ate i the o$er2
co te6tualisatio of faith that ow eeds to #e (com!leme ted #y deco te6tualiEatio as (it is
!rese ted i the #read a d the wi e of commu io 7 ,>
14 Ward" Participation and Mediation " !7 715 Pete Ward" (3sse tially ;tra ge" i Mass Culture: Eucharist and Mission in a Post-Modern
orld " ed7 #y Pete Ward" !7 ,G" BG716 I#id7" !7 : 7
17 I#id7" !7 BB718 I#id7" !7 B 7
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As we ski! forward early te years" we otice a clear e$olutio 7 Commu io as a
deco te6tualiEatio al i strume t for a missio al youth2work a d church made way for a less
i strume tal a!!roach7 Wards rece t cha!ter o commu io #ecomes a full fletched
reflectio o the ature a d !ractice of commu io as the ce tral act of worshi! through
which the te6t is 8re29e acted7 I teresti gly e ough" Ward war s the reader ot so much
agai st o$er2co te6tualisatio as he did i Mass Culture #ut" rather" em!hasises that
readers should ot i ter!ret him as if he o$er2co te6tualiEes the 3ucharist" reduci g theology
$is2 2$is culture7 ,?
Where #efore" Wards call for the missiological ature of the #read a d the wi e"
stressed (the ce tral arrati$e of the Christia faith i the (tra sce de t ature of @od a d the
o$erarchi g story that sha!es us as #elie$ers" he offers ow a i ter!retati$e framework of a
!erformati$e a d herme eutical ature& The doctri al a d the historical mo$es a d cha ges
alo g with a d i relatio to culture" sha!i g the commu al a d i di$idual ide tity7
Ward is ot #li d to the i terdisci!li ary a!!roach eeded to e$aluate the 3ucharist7
'e realises that the !roductio of the liturgical !erforma ce asks for (a co sideratio of
sociological data Q the use of more social2scie tific methods of e uiry7 := The reaso for this
data is" accordi g to Ward" to ha$e a clear $iew of how the !erforma ce of the 3ucharist
e6!lores the way doctri e is !erformed a d mediated #y !erforma ce it does ot e tail the
reductio of the theological to the cultural7
Although Ward commits himself to a method of refle6i$ity" a d i troduces a !lethora
of ames to illustrate the sig ifica ce of cultural studies" it is hard to !i !oi t his
a!!ro!riatio 7:, This is criti ue #ee $e ted #y others&
19 Ward" Participation and Mediation " !7 ,:B7
20 I#id7" !7 ,:G721 I#id7" !7 ,:B7
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While Ward 8u fortu ately9 e$er directly addresses the issues of i terdisci!li ary 8how to
relate disti ct fields with disti ct e!istemological !ers!ecti$es9 cha!ter se$e mo$es i this
directio 7 Usi g the 3ucharist as a framework the author e6!lores the !lace of !artici!atio
a d mediatio i this !ractice" showi g the reader the fertile grou d for cultural a d
theological discourse7 ::
It #ecomes clear that herme eutical uestio s of a!!ro!riati g the idea of !artici!atio
a d mediatio are of fu dame tal im!orta ce whe searchi g for that !articular co ectio
#etwee the ature a d sha!e of theology7 A drew i gsey" o a similar ote" e6!resses his
co cer o Wards take o the relatio shi! #etwee theological disci!li es a d social
theories7 i gsey war s of (KtLhe use of cultural a alysis to u dersta d e$erythi g from the
Christia youth i dustry to the 3ucharist K777L Q K777L there is co cer that the social scie ces
ha$e ecli!sed theology agai 7 :B Referri g to a formal theologia " i gsey suggests
-o hoeffer as a welcomed e6am!le of i tegrati g the sociology with theology7 Accordi g to
-o hoeffer" a d this #ri gs us #ack to the Pete Ward of Mass Culture, the 3ucharist sha!es
us to see the world i differe t ways7 (It resists sim!le cultural a alysis" a d it is more tha
sim!ly a )te6t* !roduced a d circulated i the ma er of the so g );hi e" .esus" ;hi e*7 :
Co cludi g this first !art of the !a!er" reflecti g o the o$erall !ro%ect of
i terco ected ess of the nature a d shape of theology" we ca safely state that for Ward
Commu io is more the a %ust study case of how the ature of theology a d the sha!e of it
are mutual i terde!e de t Commu io is also resourceful for the church as it em#odies a
(way of seei g and a way of i tegrati g the life of the di$i e mystery i to the church7
22 A drew Root" re$iew of Participation and Mediation: A Practical Theology for the LiquidChurch " #y Pete Ward" .nternational %ournal of Practical Theology " 1ol7 ,G" o7 , 8:=,,9" !!7 ,B 2,B?78!7 ,, 97
23 A drew D7 i gsey" re$iew of Participation and Mediation: A Practical Theology for theLiquid Church " #y Pete Ward" eligion 0 Theology " 1ol7 , " o7 , 8:=,=9" !!7 GG2G?7 8!7 G>97
24 I#id7
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At this !oi t it is a!!ro!riate to i troduce 'ele Camero s Theology in /our
1oices a d e6!a d e$e more o the co ectio #etwee the ature a d the sha!e of
theology a d how this i tegratio ca #e e6!lored more fully7
INTRODUCIN@ '3
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characteristics7 O e of the characteristics i !articular is of i terest i7e7 (Theology i 5our
1oices 7:
T'3O To #e fair"
Wards methodology is less co strai ed a d more o!e 2e ded as to its direct a!!ro!riatio 7
Wards method is foremost o e of refle6i$ity7 'is ki d of reflectio is #ased o the cultural
studies (way of seei g" e riched #y a #road dialogue #etwee !ractical theology" missiology"
27 'ele Camero " Tal)ing A out God in Practice " i dle 3lectro ic 3ditio & Cha!ter "
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8e7g7 (i culturatio " (co te6tualiEatio " (tra slatio " a d (i dige iEatio 97 There is also a
stro g ecclesiological as!ect to which I retur later 8i7e7 the !erichoretic u dersta di g of the
Tri ity97
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-ut ot so much the e6am!les co tri#utes to our e$aluatio of Wards a!!roach as
does Camero s ow e$aluatio of the use of the Theology i 5our 1oices7 3s!ecially as she
co cludes M a d co cur with Ward M that !ractice i deed does ha$e a tra sformati$e im!act
o academic 85ormal9 theology7 Camero asserts that (the formal a d e$e ormati$e
)$oices* 8or at least" the i ter!retatio of them9 is uite !ro!erly to #e formed #y the $oices
that arise from faith !ractice as a com!le6 locus for theological u dersta di g7 B:
Thirdly" Camero s methodology lea$es room for a o!e i $itatio of Ward to #e
i troduced to the ta#le as a formal theologia 7 Aside from the aforeme tio ed hiatus of a case
study accom!a ied #y the sociological data a d its a alysis of it i a multidisci!li ary
co te6t" the stre gths of Wards !ro%ect is that he offers a clear theological tra%ectory a d
!ro%ect to a!!roach the 3ucharist from a !ractical theological !oi t of $iew7 The !erichoretic
u dersta di g of the Tri ity could #e co sidered to #e a clear formal2theological additio to
the co $ersatio of how !ractical theology is more the a deli$erer of e6!erie tial k owledge7
Ward is ot the o ly o e to em!hasis this ki d of u dersta di g7 A ty!ical trait" Door e #al
descri#es" of similar theologia s who i formed the 3C0 was the e6!licit
attem!t to co ect the (horiEo tal u dersta di g of the church as a commu ity of
#elie$ers ot o ly to the work of @od 8the church as co stituted #y the ;!irit9 #ut also
to the !erso or" rather" !erso s of @od7 0ore s!ecifically" their descri!tio s of the
church" i terms of relatio shi!s a d commu ity" with fluid structures" are co ected
to a !erichoretic u dersta di g of the Tri ity 7BB
32 'ele Camero " Tal)ing A out God in Practice " i dle 3lectro ic 3ditio & Cha!ter " 7
33 Door e #al" Crossroads" !7 G,7 Cf7 also To y .o es who states that )KmLa y co gregatio s i theemergi g church mo$eme t are i sti cti$ely usi g the $ery relatio al ecclesiology that 0oltma !ro!oses7*
.o es" The Church is 5lat" ,G=7 .7 3dward Cle$i ger" )The Im!licatio s of the Tri itaria (Perichoresis for a0issio al 3cclesiology&
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;i ce o e of the aims of this re$iew is o e of a!!ro!riatio it would ser$e us well to
chose a a!!roach that focusses o the e a#li g of the !ractitio er" the !ractical theologia or
those who feel the te sio #etwee the es!oused a d the o!era t theology the most7 We
#elie$e that this a!!roach draws !ractice i to a dy amic set of other theologies" which are
ofte more recog ised as such7
As to our seco d uestio i7e7 how does Wards origi al a!!roach o deali g with the
ature of theology i light of the sha!e of theology addresses the !erforma ce of the
Commu io " I !ro!ose a further e6!loratio of the i terde!e de cy #etwee the ature a d
the sha!e of theology a d how #oth ca #ecome tra sformed #y this i teractio 7 Camero s
methodology welcomes a fruitful i teractio i which Wards co tri#utio could #e e6!lored
through a more thorough research2orie ted a!!roach" !ro$idi g the ecessary data to e6!lore
this !articular tra sformatio al relatio shi! #etwee the ature a d the sha!e of theology7
The last a d third !art of this !a!er will #e a attem!t to sketch the co tours of a
co $ersatio #ased o Camero s methodology" i $iti g Ward to the ta#le as a the 5ormal
theological $oice" ot the o ly o e though" #ut i teracti g with !articular data offered #y
To y .o ess The Church is /lat: The elational Ecclesiology of the E#erging
Church Move#ent a d with a reflectio o .e s immerma s a!!ro!riatio of .oh
iEioulass i relatio to ard3s focus o the Tri ity i relatio to the churchs deali gs with
co tem!orary culture7 B
5AIT' ;33 IN@ UND3R;TANDIN@ ;33 IN@ 5AIT'
;i ce this !a!er is foremost a reflectio o the a!!ro!riatio of Wards !ractical
theology" the focus o the Tri itaria e6!osF of PaM s cha!ter fi$e M which is i esse ce of a
34 ;ee also .e s immerma " ecovering Theological +er#eneutics: An .ncarnational- Trinitarian Theory of .nterpretation " 8@ra d Ra!ids" 0ich7& -aker Academic" :== 97
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herme eutical ature M might #e u dere6!osed7 -ut some remarks might #e i order7 I this
!articular cha!ter" Wards sows the seed that will come to full growth i his cha!ter o
Commu io as he asserts that a !artici!atio i the 3ucharist is a !artici!atio i the life of
@od7 Ward arri$es at this u dersta di g through iEioulass em!hasis o the relatio shi! of
the Tri itaria o tological -ei g a d how that reflects i the church7
Wards a!!ro!riatio of iEioulas results i how immerma summarises this&
(KIL stead ontology itself is declared to #e relatio al7 BG 5ocusi g o this Tri itaria
o tology" immerma #orrows also from iEioulas a d other 3aster Orthodo6 theological
de$elo!me ts a d recog ises the im!orta ce of the Tri itaria co ce!tio of the huma
su#%ect for the reco$ery of theological herme eutics7 This reco$ery is i itiated #y a relatio al
o tology at the heart of reality7 0irosla$ 1olf ela#orates more e6te si$ely o this reco$ery7
1olf i comme tati g o iEioulas" e6!lai s that&
to mea that @od at first 8i the o tological se se9 is the o e @od" a d o ly the e6ists
as three !erso s" the (the o tological !ri ci!le of the deity is lodged at the le$el of
su#sta ce" a d o e still remai s e ta gled i mo istic o tology7 The tri itaria
ide tificatio of (hy!ostasis a d (!erso effected #y the Ca!!adocia s #reaks through this
o tology7 This ide tificatio asserts that @odSs #ei g coi cides with @odSs !erso hood7 BH
Accordi g to 1olf it is o ly i this way" the o 2mo istic way" that @od the 5ather
co stitutes his ow e6iste ce i the free !erso al acti$ity of the di$i e life7 The co structio
the of the su#%ect is #ased u!o the otio of !erichoresis 8!artici!atio 9" which refers to the
reci!rocal i teriority of the tri itaria !erso s7 1olf e6!lai s that (i e$ery di$i e !erso as a
35 I#id7" !7 :>,7
36 0irosla$ 1olf" After *ur Li)eness: The Church as the .#age of the Trinity " ;acra Doctri a8@ra d Ra!ids" 0ich7& William -7 3erdma s" ,??>9" !7 H7
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su#%ect" the other !erso s also i dwell all mutually !ermeate o e a other" though i so doi g
they do ot cease to #e disti ct !erso s7 B
As with immerma " Ward could ha$e hel!ed the reader #y ela#orati g more o the
co ce!t of !erichoresis a d its dy amic that characterises the di$i e Triu e @od es!ecially
si ce the rei stateme t of a Tri itaria o tology is much more de!e di g o the co crete a d
historical situated I car atio " a otio that is a#se t i Wards a!!roach7
5or o e" i addressi g 'eideggers co ce!t of #ei g" immerma does #orrow from
iEioulas co ce!t al#eit without me tio i g the im!orta ce of !erichoretic thi ki g& (The
esse tial thi g a#out a !erso lies !recisely i his #ei g a re$elatio of truth" ot as
(su#sta ce or ( ature #ut as a (mode of e6iste ce7
0e tio i g 0irsofla$ 1olf" Ward could ha$e ela#orated more o the co ce!t of
!erichoresis as a way to eutralise the te sio #etwee a self that is either i di$idualistic or
mo istically co structed& (This reci!rocal i teriority of the di$i e !erso s determi es the
character of their u ity7 The otio of !erichoresis offers the !ossi#ility of o$ercomi g the
alter ati$es u io !erso ae M u itas su#sta tias7 B> It seems the that immerma clearly
#ei g i formed #y 1olfs work is maki g a case for a Tri itaria relatio ality whilst at the
same time war s for the s!eculati$e ature of it7
We o#ser$e i immerma a hel!ful relucta ce to e gage fully with a Tri itaria
o tology a!art from its I car atio al i ter!retatio 7 ;o why #other" as Ward did" with
Tri itaria o tology at all+
To a swer this uestio we may tur to Paul Colli s The Trinity: a Guide for the
Perple2ed were immerma is #ei g su!!orted #y a e ually hel!ful war i g7 Colli s
seems to a!!reciate immerma s stra d of criti ue a d mea s of reha#ilitati g a
37 I#id7" !7 :=?738 I#id" !7 :,,
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(herme eutic of relatio ality7 B? Colli s e6!lai s that a her#eneutic of relationality is
ot the same as a ontology of relationality 7 The former is of a i ter!retati$e ature" the
latter of a s!eculati$e ature7 Although #oth ca lea$e room for mutual i tegratio "
immerma seems to a$oid what Colli s calls" (the methodological i ter!lay #etwee
huma e6!erie ce a d di$i e re$elatio 7 = It is a u e6!ressed commitme t to (a a!o!hatic
a!!roach i the co structio of the doctri e of the Tri ity7 , I that se se" Ward is o the
same !ar with immerma 7
;till" for immerma " the Tri itaria co ce!tio of the huma su#%ect is to im!orta t
for the reco$ery of theological herme eutics7 It is #ecause of the Tri ity that their could #e a
I car atio a d it is after the I car atio we ca state with immerma that (KhLere the
u k ow a d u see has i deed #ecome co crete history2the ethical call has #ecome flesh7 :
Colli s seems to e6!ress his agreeme t with immerma i a more !ositi$e ma er7
(It would #e !ossi#le to argue" followi g the a alysis of ;arah Coakley" (that the herme eutic
leads to a o tology of relatio ality7 B It seems that immerma is i $ersely more
a!ologetically of retur i g #ack to a o tology of relatio ality7
;o" a!art from iEioulass i flue ce" immerma works #ack from the I car atio to
the Tri ity with the hel! of a a!!eal to (-o hoeffers co ce!tuality of !erso hood" as
u derstood i relatio to the I car atio a d the Cross7 As a result we must #e Tri itaria
a d at the same time" rather tha the I car atio #ei g a sideste! of the Tri ity" the Tri ity is
i ter!reted #y the I car atio 7
5urthermore" re$isiti g the use of !erichoresis a d the focus o relatio ality #y Ward"
e$i 1ahooEer offers a i teresti g war i g7 1ahooEer s!e ds some time argui g more39 Paul 07 Colli s" The Trinity: A Guide for the Perple2ed " @uides for the Per!le6ed 8New ork&
Co ti uum" :==>9" !7 BH740 I#id7" !7 B=741 I#id7" !7 G742 immerma " ecovering Theological +er#eneutics " !7 B=G743 Colli s" The Trinity " !7 B 744 I#id7" !7 BH7
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solidly agai st !erichoresis as a !ro%ectio or (why the tur to relatio ality may ot #e
Tri itaria 7 G 1ahooEer has a !oi t whe he war s agai st a use of a (Tri itaria relatio ality
8!erichoresis9 as the model of huma social life7 H The uestio ca #e asked if @ods #ei g
as commu io (has #ecome to much of a all2i clusi$e o to2theological idea" as well as the
tem!late for co cei$i g the sociality of huma #ei g7
If Ward wa ts to offer a ro#ust relatio al ecclesiology #ased o a Tri itaria
u dersta di g of how @od mediates with the world" we do well to i sert immerma s a d
1a hooEers relucta cy to #y2!ass either the I car atio 8 immerma 9 or s!eculati$e ess of
the herme eutical !resu!!ositio that the Tri itaria relatio ality 8!erichoresis9 as the model
of huma social life 81a hooEer9+
CONC
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a thro!ological a $etF Is Ward aware of a !ossi#le !ro%ectio or why the tur to relatio ality
may ot #e Tri itaria at all7 >
48 Agai I refer to To y .o ess The Church is /lat for a i 2de!th study of similar a $itF looki g a d0oltma a d the huma falli#ility whe de$elo!i g his relatio al ecclesiology7
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Bibliography
Articles
$oo)s
Ward" Pete" Participation and Mediation: A Practical Theology for the LiquidChurch 8
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