Papers by Christiaan Hermans
Dataset corresponding to 'The (im)possibility of forgiveness? An empirical intercultural Bible reading of Matthew 18.15-35
The study this datasets is part of focusses on intercultural Biblical hermeneutics and was necess... more The study this datasets is part of focusses on intercultural Biblical hermeneutics and was necessary to gain insights into how the participants understood concepts and processes of forgiveness when reading Matthew 18.15-35. Moreover, since social identity complexity theory plays an important role in intercultural hermeneutics, it was necessary to gather the data in a social, or group reading context. Each of the two participating groups were largely homogenous in terms of race and culture. Demographic information was an important ...
International Journal of Practical Theology, 2014
In practical theology we build theological theories about praxis. Probably all scholars in practi... more In practical theology we build theological theories about praxis. Probably all scholars in practical theology could agree on this, but what does the concept of praxis imply? There are different understandings or, as some would say, different paradigms in practical theology, depending on the question whether this discipline aim at the praxis of the pastor; of every person (believer) in the Christian community; the Christian community within society as a whole and / or the Christian community in relationship to other religions and secular worldviews. Is practical theology about the praxis of faith, religious communication, spirituality, the sacred, or the experience of ultimate concern? Is it about the praxis of the past, the present, or the possible? What kind of theory do we build about this praxis? Who can profit from this theory or be supported by it? All these questions are not neutral. We cannot avoid a normative stance on religion inside and outside institutions; Christian and non-Christian; the socialeconomical-cultural characteristics of individual persons and communities. How do we deal with ideology and utopia in institutions? Do we contribute to change, and in what way? And in all this we should be critical about our own position as theological scholars. Which community do we serve: science, society and / or church(es)? How do we relate ourselves critically to these? Are we building theory on first order discourse of the Christian faith communities or on the second order discourse of scientific community? Our theoretical and normative position has far-reaching consequences for how praxis can be researched, especially empirically. The contributions should Christiaan A.
Interdiziplinarität in der Praktischen Theologie. Epistemologische Grundfragen einer hermeneutisch-empirischen Begründung der Praktischen Theologie
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An Instrument for Reconstructing Interpretation in Life Stories
Religious Stories We Live By
This chapter analyzes the role of interpretation in the construction of personal identity by assu... more This chapter analyzes the role of interpretation in the construction of personal identity by assuming that people create their personal identity by constructing a life story. It examines how personal interpretation functions in that life story irrespective of the person's worldview-related background. The chapter transcends the personal level by developing that knowledge at a more universal, abstract, nomothetic level. It outlines a model for reconstructing interpretation in life stories, and deals with the nature of a semi-structured interview. Then, the chapter reflects on an approach, based on narrative and motivation theory, to personal interpretations in everyday life. On the basis of the analytical model the author presents an observation instrument for data collection. The chapter concludes by reflecting on the observation instrument from two angles: its practical applicability to different target groups, and theorizing on religion. For this purpose contingent interpretation of life stories seems to be a promising approach. Keywords: life story; personal identity; personal interpretation; religion; semi-structured interview
This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-No... more This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NonDerivative3.0Unported(CC-BY-NC3.0)License.
Religion & Theology, 2012
How can churches (re)connect with people’s spiritual needs? The article starts by positing that c... more How can churches (re)connect with people’s spiritual needs? The article starts by positing that churches have two focuses: the first is the moral and spiritual growth of persons, the second is social forms of life in which their moral and spiritual identity finds its goal and meaning. Next we examine how our social life forms are challenged by complexity and change in our society. This late modern situation is analysed with reference to two processes: globalisation (Zürn) and acceleration (Hartmut Rosa). Organisations like churches need to handle this complex, constantly changing new reality by making decisions based on an emerging future (Peter M. Senge, C. Otto Scharmer). This orientation to the future shifts the core questions facing the churches from what and how we are to who we are. Who are we as church leaders? As individual believers? As a community of believers? For answers to these questions we must look to the future, not the past. That is the theological challenge of a “...
Journal of Empirical Theology, 2007
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Model voor (zelf) kennis van motivatie en zingeving bij leerkachten in het basisonderwijs
Hermans, CAM, CAM; …, 2009
KNAW Narcis. Back to search results. Publication Model voor (zelf)kennis van motivatie en zingevi... more KNAW Narcis. Back to search results. Publication Model voor (zelf)kennis van motivatie en zingeving bij leerkachten in... (2009). Pagina-navigatie: Main. ...
International Journal of Practical Theology, 2014
The article claims that PT needs to change as a discipline in three directions. First, we cannot ... more The article claims that PT needs to change as a discipline in three directions. First, we cannot longer lump every person in our category of religion based on the normative conceptions of our own (Christian) religion. We need criteria to distinguish between normal experiences, spiritual experience and religious experience. Secondly, the process of opening up the material object of PT has decentred the (all-knowing) theological scholar who builds theory on lived spirituality and / or religion. Thirdly, we need to develop a new form of methodology to build theory on practical reasoning, namely practice-oriented methodology. Zusammenfassung: Dieser Beitrag fordert eine Entwicklung der Praktischen Theologie als wissenschaftlicher Disziplin in drei Hinsichten. Erstens kann die Praktische Theologie nicht länger alle Formen menschlicher Bedeutungskonstruktionen normativ als "Religion" benennen. Zweitens hat der Erweiterungsprozess des materiales Objekt der Praktischen Theologie in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten gleichzeitig auch die Dezentrierung des all-wissenden theologischen Subjekt der Kenntnis verursacht. Drittens muss die Praktische Theologie eine neue empirische Methodologie entwickeln, die Theorien auf der Basis von praktisch-religiöser Kenntnis entwickelt. Einen solchen Ansatz nennt der Verfasser praktisch-orientierte Methodologie.
Dataset corresponding to 'The (im) possibility of forgiveness? An empirical intercultural Bible reading of Matthew 18.15-35'
The study this datasets is part of focusses on intercultural Biblical hermeneutics and was
neces... more The study this datasets is part of focusses on intercultural Biblical hermeneutics and was
necessary to gain insights into how the participants understood concepts and processes of
forgiveness when reading Matthew 18.15-35. Moreover, since social identity complexity
theory plays an important role in intercultural hermeneutics, it was necessary to gather the
data in a social, or group reading context. Each of the two participating groups were largely
homogenous in terms of race and culture. Demographic information was an important ...
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Papers by Christiaan Hermans
necessary to gain insights into how the participants understood concepts and processes of
forgiveness when reading Matthew 18.15-35. Moreover, since social identity complexity
theory plays an important role in intercultural hermeneutics, it was necessary to gather the
data in a social, or group reading context. Each of the two participating groups were largely
homogenous in terms of race and culture. Demographic information was an important ...
necessary to gain insights into how the participants understood concepts and processes of
forgiveness when reading Matthew 18.15-35. Moreover, since social identity complexity
theory plays an important role in intercultural hermeneutics, it was necessary to gather the
data in a social, or group reading context. Each of the two participating groups were largely
homogenous in terms of race and culture. Demographic information was an important ...