Sociological Models and Theological Reflection

Robin Gill, in his study of the The Social Context for Theology, has suggested three models for pursuing a sociological approach to theology. First, one might look at the sociological determinants of theological positions. Second, theological views might be looked at in terms of their social significance. Third, one might deal with the relationships between theology and sociology by emphasizing the social context of theology itself. As an extension of the inquiry into the social context of theology, I propose, as a fourth approach, a study of sociological models and theological reflection. I explore the question: Accepting the premise that theologians make certain assumptions about persons, societies, and cultures, and about how human beings behave, what models taken from sociology might provide a basis for theological reflection? From the theological side, the question is: What understandings of persons, societies, and cultures are implicit in the ways in which sociologists attempt to describe and explain the behavior of human beings? What, in other words, is the explicit or implicit doctrine of man (understood generically) contained in the sociological models? We have reached a point in the development of sociology where it is no longer possible to claim that we have no hermeneutic principles, or that an adequate image of homo sociologicus can be presented when we disavow metaphysical and ontological questions. The sensitivity of theologians to the hermeneutic dimension of any inquiry into the human situation might become a valuable resource in sociological work. Any theory about, or model of, persons, societies, and cultures has implicit in it a whole series of cognitive decisions about epistemological, metaphysical, ontological, and ethical questions. The foundations for any potential dialogue of theology and sociology rest, in a crucial way, on the acceptance of hermeneutics as a way of opening up the conversation. On this basis, when the theologian reads and listens to the sociologist, he may put to the sociologist such questions as the following: What is the sociologist saying about his subject matter; in what prior understandings of man is what is said grounded; what understanding of the nature of science and the human processes of knowing is indicated in what is said; what epistemological, metaphysical, ontological, or axiological premises are involved; is anything significant about the human situation being said; what implications does what is said have for the interpreter's understanding of himself, and of the society in which he lives? Likewise, when the sociologist reads or listens to theologians, he may want to ask similar questions, such as: what is the theologian saying about man and society; what images of persons, societies, and cultures are implicit (or explicit) in the views expressed; is anything significant beings said about human behavior; what theological or ethical norms are employed in the theologian's view of his subject?

Context (archaeology) · Epistemology · Premise · Social science · Sociological theory · Sociology · Sociology of religion · Theology · Philosophy · Religion, Society, and Development