A Study of Contextual Theology According to Robert Brown

This is a cursory examination of the meaning of contextual theology as explored by Robert McAfee Brown in his article "What is Contextual Theology?" Question: How can this theology be integrated in John Paul II's spirituality of mission in diverse cultures and beliefs?

According to Robert McAfee Brown, the basic stance is to accept that no theological position is normative, and that there is a need to accept all theologies as a product of factors in the many cultures theologians have been immersed. If this is the basic theological position, then all theologians will be open to learn other theological perspectives, and be open to dialogue and learn from one another.

Theology in context

Brown writes that Jesus is God, and he was incarnated in a specific time, in a specific culture, and in a specific geographic place in the world. Jesus was born two millenia ago as a Jewish man who healed the sick, taught people, and preached itinerantly about the Kingdom of God. This is the context which many have come to learn about Jesus. God came as man through the Jewish culture and during the time when Rome ruled over Israel. It was also a time when the Jewish people were awaiting and expectant of the coming of a Messiah to save them.

Acceptance of diversity

Author Robert Brown writes that when theologians meet, there is an impulse for some to make their theology normative; then they consider the others as relative to their absolute position. This creates a problem for theologians who live in contexts that experience much oppression and repression. The solution therefore would be not to make one's theology normative over the others, because only Christ is the "same yesterday, today, and forever". And any theology, which may predominate others because of influence, trend or popularity, is in reality also contextualized. Jesus is understood always according to the context a believer comes from - a context with a specific time, culture and place. "We hold God's treasures in earthen vessels."

Unity in diversity

Theologians can still be united even with the diversity of contexts each theology is born. What would lead to unity is the person of Jesus Himself whose historicity was revealed in Scripture and in the many archaeological studies that give evidence of His Jewish cultural context. As long as theologians have a basic accepting attitude of one another's differences in theological thinking, and focus instead on the person of Jesus, then a level of dialogue can be achieved. Through this dialogue, each theologian will get a richer understanding of the person of Jesus because of his openness to the others' theologies.

Openness brings in understanding

When a certain level of dialogue is achieved, there is a degree of unity experienced because of the acceptance of each other's differences in theological thinking. If this thinking were to overflow into one's context, there would be a new attitude of understanding mission. Instead of bringing one's understanding of the Gospel and imposing it on others, one would be wiser to have a listening ear for understanding the context of the people. One will see how others already have a seed of the gospel born in their way of thinking.

John Paul II's mission of life

John Paul II has shown all that every human culture is worthy of respect in its life-giving elements. He concretely exemplified this thinking through kissing the ground whenever he travels to visit a country and comes down from the airplane. John Paul II's mission was to bring the gospel of life and peace to other cultures through an attitude of dialogue, respect and openness. This mission was successful since people of different cultures and beliefs feel that this gospel
of life and peace gives an experience of freedom - which
is important in being human. 

23rd Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

September 7, 2014
Liturgical readings
Ezekiel 33:7-9
Psalm 95
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20

"Where two or three are gathered in Christ's name, Christ is with them."

This Sunday's passage from Matthew's gospel is divided into two themes in the Jerusalem Bible translation: fraternal correction (Mt 18:15-18) and prayer in common (Mt 18:19-20). Three passages previous to Mt 18:15-20 speak on the themes of God's kingdom, avoiding sin, and compassion for the sinner. Then the two succeeding passages to Mt 18:15-20 speak on forgiveness of injuries and the practice of mercy. The three previous passages and the two succeeding passages act as a framework for Mt 18:15-20 and provide the context to help hearers and readers understand the social implications of this Sunday's gospel - social implications that require compassion for the sinner, forgiveness of injuries and fraternal correction.

Misunderstanding one another is part of political, economic and social life. Even St. Jerome and St. Augustine of Hippo had their differences. They corresponded angrily with one another over just one scholarly detail in their understanding of the faith. But despite the mutual suspicion between the two, both Saints worked out their differences. And it was their desire for reconciliation and peace in Christ that earned them their haloes. Eventually, both were able to discern what God wanted of them. All the faithful can learn from their good example: how both hurdled their intellectual feud and managed to reconcile in Christ. All Christians can work out differences in any conflict by focusing attention on Jesus as the source of reconciliation. Peace is possible in Christ Jesus. Time, prayer, and the wisdom from above are important.

"Where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them". Prayer unites minds, hearts and souls in Christ. And this is the very reasons the Eucharist is a very important Sacrament. In religious communities, members often take time for retreats and recollections to help iron out the differences among themselves. And the Eucharist often is the ultimate antidote to the spiritual poison that divides communities into factions and cliques. Families also do the same in their own creative ways. And parishes also take time to form their members of the process needed to forgive one another and to correct one another with charity. It is done without force, anger or pride. Christ is present in the Eucharist. He is the source of all correction from vices; He heals all hearts from the cause of war.

Scripture quote:
"If two of you join your voices on earth to pray for anything whatever, it should be granted you by my Father in heaven. Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst."(Matthew 18)

Memorial of Saints (September 4)

St. Rose of Viterbo had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a young girl. After some years, she began preaching in the streets of her hometown in support of the Pope, and at the same time denounced prophetically the Emperor Frederick II. When the allies of the Emperor sought her death, Rose fled to Soriano. In 1250 A.D., as she had predicted, the Emperor died. When the nuns at Viterbo refused Rose admittance to their convent, Rose returned to her parents' home and passed away at an early age of 17 (died ca. 1252 A.D.).

St. Rosalia dedicated her life to God since her youth. She went to live as a hermitess in a cave and practiced self-discipline and prayer. After some years, she transferred to Mount Pellegrino where she continued her life of austerity, penance and deep prayer. St. Rosalia is the principal patron saint of Palermo, Italy, because of her role in ending a plague that struck the region in 1640 A.D. (died ca. 1160 A.D.).

St. Ida of Herzfeld was raised in the court of Charlemagne. She got married to Egbert, but became a widow early in her marriage. She then spent time helping the poor. When her son Warin became a monk at Herzfeld, she moved out of her estate at Westphalia to be near her son. With her means and influence, she built a convent so that her works of mercy and charity with the poor will be continued. It is in this convent that she spent her last years (died ca. 825 A.D.).

Sts. Marcellus and Valerian were Christians when the persecution against the faith was launched by Marcus Aurelius. Both were imprisoned but managed to escape. Marcellus was sheltered by a pagan whom he had converted to Christianity. Priscus, the governor, had Marcellus arrested and then sentenced to death by burying him in the ground up to his waist. Marcellus died three days after this ordeal. Valerian on the other hand was also recaptured and then martyred like Marcellus by being beheaded at Tournus (died ca. 178 A.D.).

St. Marinus was a Croatian stonemason and worked in the quarries of Rimini. His companion stonemason, St. Leo, became a priest; Marinus became a deacon. Leo then went to Montefeltro while Marinus continued to work on an aqueduct for 12 years. After someone falsely accused him, Marinus fled into the mountains and spent his life as a hermit. A monastery grew up around his little hermitage. Later, a town, which would be named after him (San Marino), grew also around the hermitage and the monastery. St. Marinus is the patron saint of the tiny republic of San Marino near northcentral Italy in the Adriatic coast (died ca. 4th century A.D.).

St. Boniface I was elected Pope in 418 A.D. He was already old at the time. A dissident faction in the Church wanted Eulalius instead as the Pope. But Emperor Honorius settled the dispute by deciding in favor of Boniface I. As Pope, Boniface I opposed Pelagianism. He supported St. Augustine in upholding the orthodoxy of the Christian faith (died ca. 422 A.D.).

St. Ultan of Ardbraccan was a bishop of Ireland. He was known for his evangelizing abilities, knowledge of the faith, and his charity towards the less fortunate. Catholic tradition says that he collected the writings of St. Brigid of Ireland and wrote a biography about her (died ca. 657 century A.D.).