Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Theological Reflection Across Religious Traditions: The Turn to Reflective Believing

Theological reflection ― connecting real life, ministry, and religious traditions ― is a core component of most pastoral training. It is also a hallmark of practical theology and a common spiritual exercise among ordinary Christians trying to discern how their beliefs might influence daily living. Yet, our society is increasingly pluralistic, with growing numbers of people from varying belief systems ― from Islam to Buddhism ― as well as an increasing number of atheists. In this book, Edward Foley reimagines theological reflection in interfaith contexts and with those of no faith tradition. The book addresses and celebrates diverse beliefs, and envisions the practice of theological reflection in such contexts. Theological Reflection Across Religious Traditions introduces readers to the basics of traditional forms of theological reflection, then considers how it might be reconceived in different contexts ― from interfaith ministers working together to reduce poverty and homelessness to people of diverse or no faith traditions strategizing to secure the dignity of undocumented immigrants. Beyond suggestions for collaborative social action, the book offers tools for productive interfaith conversation through a process Foley calls “reflective believing.” This is a groundbreaking rethinking of theological reflection for today’s world, proposing that people across the religious landscape can participate in reflective believing for personal and communal benefit without sacrificing their own integrity. Review In this wonderful little book, Edward Foley draws from his vast pastoral experience and theological wisdom to offer people of all faiths and no faith a way to talk together about the meaning of their lives. Foley writes with the style of an artist and a poet to entertain us, to inspire us, to challenge us. This is a book for students and for practitioners, but teachers and scholars will profit from its warmth, humor, and depth.--Stephen Bevans The practical examples could serve as excellent discussion starters. This is above all a book to spark thinking among teachers and ministry practitioners. . . .It is also a book to spark further work in an intriguing field that Foley has only begun to map.--The Anglican Theological Review How might U.S. American practical theologians respond to the shifting religious landscape of the classrooms in which we study and teach, as well as in the civil society to which we belong? Bringing to bear on this question a breadth of wisdom gained from experience as a seminary professor and a Catholic priest, Edward Foley presents a worthy proposal for what he describes as reflective believing....Whether one is a beginning student of practical theology or a seasoned professional in the field, this text will serve as a key resource in considering how to engage with the increasingly pluralistic reality of teaching and ministering in the U.S. American context. Offering a clarion call for creative and constructive engagement with the shifting religious landscapes that characterize our classrooms and sites for ministry, Foley's text provides an important first step, a point of entry into a much-needed conversation in the field of practical theology.--International Journal of Practical Theology In this book, Foley renegotiates and reshapes the practice of theological reflection into an approach he calls 'reflective believing.'... The most valuable aspects of Foley's discussion are his emphases on the improvisational nature of reflective believing and his attention to 'interpathy, ' or empathic concern for the other.--Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology In this succinct, absorbing, and imaginative book, Foley persuades self-exploring, other-sensitive, and Spirit-directed Christians to turn from the practice of theological reflection to the promise of reflective believing. Recognizing a radical shift in the Western historical context, F. urges us to risk leaving an older