A Christian spirituality of imperfection: Towards a pastoral theology of descent within the praxis of orthopathy
The endeavour towards perfectionism in a praxis pietatis is most of the time described and portrayed as the preferential "narrow way", resulting in a kind of "theology of ascent" (the legalistic upgrading of human beings equipped with super, spiritual abilities). Rather than a sp...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
2021
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| In: |
Acta theologica
Year: 2021, Volume: 41, Issue: 2, Pages: 70-95 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Spirituality
/ Imperfection
/ Soul
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| RelBib Classification: | AG Religious life; material religion FA Theology |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The endeavour towards perfectionism in a praxis pietatis is most of the time described and portrayed as the preferential "narrow way", resulting in a kind of "theology of ascent" (the legalistic upgrading of human beings equipped with super, spiritual abilities). Rather than a spirituality of self-improvement, the article proposes a theology of descent (engaging with human suffering, weakness, brokenness, frailty, and imperfection), as well as a paradigm shift from orthodoxy to orthopathy. In a theology of descent, the following question emerges: How does the pastoral ministry address the painful realities of failure and existential imperfection as related to the limitations of suffering human beings? The author develops a Christian spirituality of imperfection, which implies the following spiritual movements of the human soul, namely from having to sharing; from possession to communion; from competition to compassion, from withdrawal to solidarity; from estrangement to engagement, and from hostility to hospitality. In this regard, Henri Nouwen’s notion of a "wounded healer"plays a decisive role. |
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| ISSN: | 2309-9089 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Acta theologica
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