The True Practical Theologian: Engaging with People's Realities

The True Practical Theologian: Engaging with People's Realities

Let me introduce a term I coined to describe the need to truly listen to people before preaching or counseling: the "practical theologian." We understand that a theologian is not just someone who studies theology, but someone who actively engages with theological ideas. In the same way, couldn’t we imagine a "practical theologian" as someone who brings that engagement into the deep understanding of and connection with the people they serve, like a theologian who "smells like sheep," as one preacher put it? Is it too much to say that listening to people is crucial for effective counseling and for crafting messages that resonate in today’s world?

Consider the stark contrast between the idealized family dynamics portrayed in the media and the real-life struggles faced by most church members. A skilled counselor and preacher must understand the everyday realities of their congregants — their victories, struggles, dreams, work, frustrations, and yes, their failures and sins. The reality of those who attend our services is often far from the polished image of well-dressed people carrying Bibles and exchanging smiles and hugs. It includes challenges like the communication breakdown of a young couple, a wife who feels her husband falls short in comparison to her father, or parents watching their teenage son drift away from the family and from faith.

A truly effective counselor and preacher must address the loneliness of a family with an absent father, offer hope and healing to those whose lives have been shattered by injustice, and support people whose souls are wounded by long-held emotional pain. If our theology is robust enough to make us aware of these deep realities and guide us to be present with the people who suffer and come looking for comfort and solutions every week — if our theology reveals something deeper than mere psychotherapeutic techniques or simplistic remedies like "pray and fast to fix everything" —

Then you are, in fact, a genuine practical theologian.

José Bini

Mentee in the Individual Mentoring program

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