‘Disciplined wonder’: on the evangelical possibility of reflecting theologically on very good things, as well as the bad and the ugly

ABSTRACT

This article is adapted from a paper given at the inaugural meeting of the Tyndale Fellowship’s Practical Theology group in 2023. The theme of the meeting was ‘Evangelical Practical Theology?’ The essay identifies practical theology’s adeptness at attending to ‘the bad’, and comments on the contribution this feature of the discipline can make to evangelical thought and practice. But it then goes on to ask what resources there are for conceiving and accompanying theological reflection on ‘the good’, and makes some tentative proposals for what such an exercise of ‘disciplined wonder’ might involve.

KEYWORDS:

• The good
• evangelical
• practical theology‌
• theological reflection
• discernment‌

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The first Tyndale Fellowship Practical Theology study group was held from 3 to 5th July 2023 at High Leigh conference centre and organised by Revd Dr Helen Collins. I am grateful to Helen and other colleagues from this conference for their reflections on this paper and contributions to related discussions.

2 I am echoing here the title of two Church of England reports, From Anecdote to Evidence (2014), on church growth, and the hugely significant From Lament to Action (2021), on racial justice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samuel Tranter

Samuel Tranter is Academic Dean at Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham University, and an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University. He serves as co-director of the Durham Doctor of Theology and Ministry programme.