What is Doing Catholic Theology?

by Edilberto Jimenez

Why do Theology?
THESIS: There is a gap that exists between our faith and our everyday life. Ex: Mommy Blue woman praying the rosary
during the UAAP game but then showing a bad finger afterwads

Need for a bridge

To bridge this gap between faith life and everyday life, we need theology.

THEOLOGY
Definitions: Talking about God Study of God and his relation to the world Study of religious faith "Faith seeking understanding" Illustration: Faith Honesty Marriage as commitment Love for the environment God is Love Everyday Life Cheating Divorce Pollution Suffering is everywhere

Why is there a gap?

A. Folk Catholicism A kind of Christianity that has developed in the Philippines Faith is a social fact not a personal conviction We do the practices of our faith because that's how things have been Our faith is taken for granted, left
unquestioned No owning of one's faith Ex: Sacraments: Marriage and Infant Baptism Physical Reality (husband-wife) V.S. Spiritual Reality (Christ-Church)

B. Practical Atheism A practice of faith on certain occasions but live the rest of one's live as if God is inexistent Split-level Christianity: coexistence within the same person of two or more thought behaviour systems which are inconsistent KBL (Kasal-Binyag-Libing) C. Spiritual Blindness Immense scandals of massive poverty, injustice, lawlessness and violence Exploitation of the rich D. Secularism A gradual but radical evolution in society that sees a shift from faith in God to faith in humanity
Ex: Religion V.S. Science tendency of the person to forget God

Theology aims to unify Christian faith with daily life To do theology is to close the gap between the Gospel message of Christianity with concrete personal experiences of believer. Theology is YOUR course. Integrating YOUR faith with YOUR experience.

E. Pluralism There is no one single worldview on what is right or proper Espouse a culture of emancipation Seen in modern buildings, music,
media influence

Each to his own preference

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