THEO5013
Theology and Empirical Research Methods
3 Units
"Experience" and reflection on it have always been a concern for theologians, despite the diversity of theological traditions that prioritize various aspects of the formative factors for theology in different ways. In addition, contemporary theologians and church leaders share a growing concern for praxis that transforms the world and the church. All of this necessitates that theologians comprehend experience not only on a philosophical and conceptual level, but also as inherently concrete and social. Consequently, theologians are becoming increasingly interested in distinctive categories of empirical data pertinent to theology and in distinctive research methodologies pertinent to the analysis of these data. This is especially true of practical theologians and empirical theologians, though it is not exclusive to them. In this light, as stated by the editors of the Eerdmans series of Studies in Ecclesiology and Ethnography, if theology is to have impact on the church and world today, theologians must learn to utilize empirical research tools to provide more accurate, disciplined, and contextually-grounded research. This course thus exposes students to a variety of empirical research methods and data analytic tools that will help them understand, evaluate, and conduct empirical research relevant to theological studies. The primary emphasis will be on qualitative approaches, but students will also learn how to read quantitative research reports critically. It aims to provide students with a foundation for integrating theological inquiry and empirical research in a manner that not only maintains the integrity of both disciplines but also employs social scientific methods in a manner that is "theological all the way through," as Helen Cameron has stated. Students will be required to conduct a mini-study on selected issues in their home society/church by adopting one of the empirical research methods.