What Is Constructive Theology?: Histories, Methodologies, and Perspectives

This essential introduction to contemporary constructive theology charts the most important disciplinary trends of the moment. It gives a historical overview of the field and discusses key hermeneutical and methodological concerns. The contributors apply a constructive perspective to a wide range of approaches, ranging from biblical hermeneutics and postcolonial studies to comparative, political, and black theology. What is Constructive Theology? shows how diverse and interdisciplinary constructive theology can be by exploring key themes in the field. The contributors explore the porous boundaries between Christianity and other religions, reflect on contextual, liberation and constructive theologies from Africa and from Black British perspectives, explore the connection between embodiment, epistemology and hermeneutics, and take a constructive approach to the dangerous memories and theologies of colonial histories in Belgium and Native Americans in the United States. This sampler of the field will help you rethink theologies and find constructive alternatives.

Marion Grau is Professor of Systematic Theology, Ecumenism and Missiology at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Norway.

Jason Wyman is Adjunct Professor at Manhattan College, USA.

Steed Davidson received his Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary, New York. He is an Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley California. His teaching centers on prophetic books, paying attention to ancient empires and responses to empires in the formation of texts.


Steed Vernyl Davidson is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at McCormick Theological Seminary, USA.

Susannah Cornwall is Advanced Research Fellow in Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter, UK.