Challenges Facing Practical Theology

Practical theology can be considered as a kind of practical and functional expansion of theological teachings or something derived from theology in human life. The present article, considering the general meaning of theology, addresses some of the challenges facing practical theology. The first challenge: human expectation of religion. It is according to the widespread expectation of religion that theology can enter the realm of society and social institutions. By a minimum expectation from religion, the role of theology will not be so prominent. The second challenge: tradition and modernity. In the traditional era and with a traditional attitude, some social institutions have been closely related to religion and theology, but in the modern attitude and era, the social or organizational role of theology is often relegated to new institutions from the new sciences and the modern world. Hence, in the modern age and with a modern attitude, practical theology is accused of a nostalgic and passive attitude. The third challenge: confiscation of practical theology by the official clergy. The history of religion and theology shows that the official and governmental clergy, with an exclusive and totalitarian approach, has been able to confiscate religion and theology in their favor and in order to increase power, wealth, and social influence. Although this confiscation has occasionally led to the public and social interest, it seems that the corruption caused by this confiscation is more than its interest. The fourth challenge: globalization. Due to the process of globalization, the importance and necessity of global theology have increased. Hence, practical theology, without overcoming religious fundamentalism and exclusivism, cannot solve global problems. The success and development of practical theology depend on the theoretical and practical response to the aforementioned challenges; Challenges that have endangered not only theology but also religion itself.