Exploring Theology Through Discernment: An Analysis of Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle
Delve into the intertwining of theology, discernment, and spirituality through an analysis of Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle. This study explores the significance of prayer, various methods of theological knowledge acquisition, and the developmental trends in understanding God's presence and soul-knowledge.
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DOING THEOLOGY THROUGH DOING THEOLOGY THROUGH DISCERNMENT: AN ANALYSIS OF DISCERNMENT: AN ANALYSIS OF TERESA OF AVILA S TERESA OF AVILA S INTERIOR CASTLE CASTLE INTERIOR Lydia Hawkins
THEOLOGY THEOLOGY Theology Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious belief Natural theology Systematic theology Christology Pneumatology Trinitarian theology Soteriology Ecclessiology Theological anthropology Practical theology Doctrinal theology
DOING THEOLOGY Doing theology is the active process in which believers participate in acquiring theological knowledge and allowing this knowledge to affect their daily life activities.
PROBLEM ADDRESSED Shifting views in validity of sources for acquiring knowledge Pre-modern Modern SCRIPTURE REASON TRADITION SCRIPTURE REASON TRADITION EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE
WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM? 1) prayer is not a valid mode of gaining theological knowledge 2) theological knowledge can be gained without prayer
METHODS USED Pre-modern Modern Post-modern SCRIPTURE REASON REASON? TRADITION SCRIPTURE SCRIPTURE REASON TRADITION TRADITION EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE?
TERESA OF AVILA Doer of Theology Mystic Doctor of the Church http://svamonks.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-feast-of-saint-teresa-of-avila.html
ANALYSIS 1) prayer is not a valid mode of gaining theological knowledge 2) theological knowledge can be gained without prayer
INTERIOR CASTLES 1. Awareness 2. Obedience 3. Relationship 4. Expansion 5. Union of wills 6. Union of desires 7. Union of selves
DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS God s presence Continual ontological revelations Continual theological revelations Continual process of theosis/incarnation Growing importance of soul-knowledge
ANALYSIS CONTINUED 1. Awareness- faculties active 2. Obedience- faculties active 3. Relationship- soul and faculties active, tension 4. Expansion- soul overcomes faculties 5. Union of wills- faculties diminished, soul primary actor 6. Union of desires- faculties and soul in union 7. Union of selves- faculties completely diminished, soul ultimate source
CONCLUSIONS 1) Validates other modes of doing theology 2) Integration of Intellectual and Experiential knowledge 3) Discernment -Detailed descriptions -Measures of Testing -Community of highly experience people
THESIS Using Teresa s work, I assert that the solution to handling the skepticism of subjective knowledge obtained from prayer experiences is not, as modernism concluded, to separate prayer activities from theological thinking, but to incorporate discernment processes.
SOURCES Alan K. WaltA Dictionary for United Methodists. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991. Alister E. McGrath. Christian Spirituality. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 1999. Brian E. Daley. Doers of the Word: Research and Teaching in Theology. Theological Education, 46, 1 (2010): 15-25. Corbishley, T., Biechler, E. New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., s.v. Mysticism. Detroit: Thomas Gale, 2003. D.E. Saliers. Prayer and the Doctrine of God in Contemporary Theology. 265-278. D.E. Saliers. Theology and Prayer: Some Conceptual Reminders. Worship, 48, 4:230-235. Forshaw, B. New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., s.v. Doctor of the Church. Detroit: Thomas Gale, 2003. Gillian T.W. Ahlgren. Entering Teresa of Avila s Interior Castle: a reader s companion. New York: Paulist, 2005. Heath White. Postmodernism 101: a first course for the curious Christian. Brazos Press, 2006. John E. Colwell. Theology, piety and prayer: on the study of theology. European Journal of Theology 20, 1:50-59, 2011. Merriam-Webster s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003. Also available at http://www.merriam- webster.com/. Philip Sheldrake. A Brief Overview of Christian Spirituality. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2007. Teresa of Avila. Interior Castle. Edited and Translated by E. Allison Peers. New York: Double Day, 1944.
