Practical Theology

In the Spring edition of the Journal for Preachers, editor Walter Bruggemann makes a case for the urgency of resurrection preaching. He writes: “the preacher of resurrection is doing practical theology that in the most concrete way asserts that the future is not closed in hopelessness because the Lord of life keeps opening futures that we cannot ourselves generate….” Easter, Journal for Preachers, vol. 32, p. 1.

What that means is the resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate “glass half-full” story. We all know that observing whether the glass is half-full or half-empty is an indication of optimism (half-full) versus pessimism (half-empty), hopefulness or despair, trust in the future or fear of the future. The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate story of optimism because it asserts that the “future is not closed in hopelessness….”

The Apostle Paul wrote: “…I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul’s conviction is an optimistic view despite all evidence to the contrary.

If the Apostle Paul were writing today he could easily make his case by borrowing from the daily newspaper or cable broadcast. Stories about violence and threats to peace in places like Ukraine or the Middle East, gun violence and politicians’ feckless efforts to create alternatives, pollution, racism, classism, the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots, unemployment—and in my world—the dwindling size and influence of the Christian Church, all testify against hope. All the bad news today challenges any notion of Good News.

Paul would say that all those fear-producing, fear-based, fear-focused things are not able to overcome the power of God that continues to open the future. We have hope because the God of hope, the God of the future, continues to unfold and open new possibilities, new options, new realities. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God—even when the night is darkest. Because we know God causes the morning to dawn. Light will shine. The birds will sing! And so can we!

Bruggemann’s idea of practical theology is a powerful thing because it puts in our hands an answer to any fear producing challenge. We are able to see the world optimistically, hopefully, joyfully because God in Jesus Christ makes all things new. We are able to live each day with hope because the God of hope continues to unfold the future for us and all people. Hope lives because he lives. We live because he lives. Christ is alive! And so are we. Thanks be to God!

~Harrell