Doing Spiritual Theology

The phenomenon on which this research project is working is the inter-connectedness of existential faith practice and intellectual faith reflection. The project is based on the preliminary assumption that this phenomenon cannot be observed in Christianity alone but that it can be considered as a cross-religious and cross-cultural phenomenon. Therefore this project tries to explore the mentioned inter-connectedness in one particular Christian tradition (Ignatian) as well as in one particular Buddhist tradition (Vipassan?). As Christianity and Buddhism are very different ways of looking at reality and interpreting it, the expressions (and practices) which are used to name (and practice) "existential faith practice" and "intellectual faith reflection" differ a lot. These two poles are also just considered as two orientation marks which indicate a field in which more than these two differentiations might be meaningful. Within the Christian approach this project works with the following differentiation: (1) speaking to God, (2) speaking of God and (3) speaking about God. Within the Buddhist approach this project works with the differentiation: (1) meditative insight, (2) dharma talk and (3) scholarly understanding. This project combines a qualitative-empirical investigation (source of insight: experiences of people from the Ignatian and the Vipassan?-tradtion who live the balance between faith practice and faith reflection) with a text- hermeneutical one (source of insight: selected scholarly writings from the Ignatian and the Vipassan?-tradition on the balance between faith practice and faith reflection). Eventually the results of both sources are taken into consideration in order to develop further the following theological research questions. " Which new aspects appear regarding the inter-connectedness of existential faith practice and intellectual faith reflection? " In what way can individual faith practice and experience be understood as "locus theologicus"? " In what way can the significance of intellectual faith reflection for processes of faith practice be understood? " In what way are the results significant for a Christian understanding of a continuous revelation-process? The aims of this research project on the whole are: (1) Exploration of the relation between existential faith practice and intellectual faith reflection as it appears in the Christian-Ignatian and in the Buddhist-Vipassan? tradition. (2) Exploration of the possibilities of a Christian Spiritual Theology as an academic discipline and/or a way of doing theology. (3) Exploration of a possible link between the spiritual theological results and reflections on a Christian understanding of continuous revelation-process.

Spirituality and concretely spiritual practices (like contemplation and meditation) do have significance for (religious and theological) processes of understanding. As a consequence they also shape the results of such processes, the gained insights. In short: Spirituality has a epistemological relevance. This is the most significant result of the project Doing Spiritual Theology. An exclusive positioning of spirituality (resp. spiritual practices) in the area of application of a religious tradition as well as a separation of spirituality and theology are challenged. Spirituality has to do with thinking and within (theological) thinking spirituality has a role to play. Subsequently this project contributes to the exploration of the mentioned epistemological relevance of spiritual practice. The following four points emerge: - Understanding presupposes a certain disposition. - Knowledge as well as perception can be subject to illusion. - Theological knowledge cannot be perceived as neutral information, but conveys a perspective. - Processes of understanding underlie the tension of practice and unintentionality. These results have an impact on revelation theology. The link between content and process has to be stressed and integrated into the discourse on revelation. The teaching of spiritual perception (and spiritual senses) can be used productively at this point. Furthermore these results have an impact on the discussions regarding the role of spirituality in the academic theological field. Without negating the importance of a discipline which takes spirituality as its research object (theology of spirituality), this project directs the attention to a style of theologizing which takes up the mentioned themes and bases its self-understanding upon them. The project Doing Spiritual Theology explores testimonies from the Christian Ignatian tradition as well as testimonies from the Buddhist Vipassana tradition. Methodologically it combines a qualitative-empirical study with literature research. The results of this work have an impact in the academic-theological as well as in the pastoral field, they affect academic theologians as well as faithful people, who try to understand their beliefs in everyday-life.