The Practical Turn in Fundamental Theolo-gy: On Metz’s Political Theology as Funda-mental Theology
Author: LI Jincheng, Postdoctoral Fellow, Tongji University of China
Abstract:
This article discusses the methodological significance and limitations of Metz’s political theology as a practical fundamental theology. The mission of fundamental theology is to offer a foundation for Christian theology and defense of the Christian faith. The historical methods of traditional fundamental theology cannot withstand the critique of reason, while the a priori methods of fundamental theology neglect the historical and societal dimensions of human experience. Neither of them can achieve the basic goal of offering a foundation for Christian theology and defending Christian faith in our contemporary situation. Metz’s political theology, a practical fundamental theology, is critical of idealistic fundamental theology, incorporates contextualization into its theology, and describes the hermeneutical structures of the narrative of Christian faith. It affirms the primacy of praxis in Christian truth, and that the church should pursue solidarity with the suffering in history to respond to the historical crisis of Christian identity, which makes for a practical turn in fundamental theology. However, Metz’s political theology focuses on critical practice and lacks a positive theoretical construct, which means that it cannot maintain an adequate balance between theory and praxis.
Keywords:
fundamental theology, political theology, the primacy of praxis, the mission of church
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