Blest be the tie that binds...

   The mission of the Transforming Theology network is to tighten the bonds between theology and transformative action in the church and the world. Some churches and denominations possess robust and potentially revolutionary theologies but are rather less active in successful in bringing about the changes that their beliefs imply. Others are deeply involved in transformative action but seem to have trouble formulating exactly what are the distinctively Christian beliefs that motivate these actions.

   The Transforming Theology project pursues a three-pronged approach for deepening the relationship between theology and transformative action. The "Transforming the Church" page describes steps being taken to strengthen the networks of Christians across the denominations who share with one another the passion for a transforming and transformative theology. The "Seminaries and Divinity Schools" page describes new initiatives in theological education that are helping to train future religious leaders according to these priorities and to disseminate them more broadly.

   But what of the third, and no less essential, prong in the effort: theologians themselves? This part of the website, and of our overall project, is dedicated to those Christians who are writing and working in powerful and accessible ways to transform church and world. We are identifying these men and women, publicizing their work, making their books available to bloggers and to the media, recording interviews with them that can be downloaded as podcasts -- in short, creating a network of theologians whose work is transformative.

   Our task is not to establish strict criteria for what counts as acceptable or unacceptable theology. Instead, we join with all Christian thinkers who are involved in formulating, and living, transformative theologies. We are working to bring home the two-directional nature of the deep bonds between belief and action. Powerful theologies lead to powerful ministries in the church and in the world. But the feedback relationship is no less important: examining transformative ministries (and also those that fail to be transformative) helps us to understand how theologies should be extended, adapted -- or radically revised.

   Stay tuned for blogs, interviews, podcasts, and other active content in 2009. And please let us know about your networks, conferences, blogs, and initiatives. Together we can be the change that our theologies talk about...