10/07/2025 08:30 - 12:00

HALL: Senate Hall

Proponent: Scerri C., Wright O.

Speaker: Chan E., Joseph J.A., Kahler Z., Scerri C., Torrance J., Wright O.

New times call for new theologies. A phenomenon analogous to that which happened in the first half of the twentieth century can be observed in recent theologies. Faced with the radical transformations of modernity, an array of theologians—loosely grouped under the umbrella term nouvelles théolgiens—decided to go back to the drawing board and rethink the method(s) of theology. Similarly, in a contemporary context that confronts theology with challenges that are as radical as those of modernity, a demand has been felt by contemporary theologians to rethink the theological method in light of a transformed political, social, and intellectual setting. However, whereas early twentieth-century theologians chose the path of ressourcement, a going back to the sources of theology, contemporary theology feels called to a different kind of 'resourcement.' It looks for sources outside of theology. What this leads to is interdisciplinarity and the myriad of non-theological sources from which theology seeks inspiration.


The idea of reflecting on theology and interdisciplinarity is in no way novel. What is urgently needed, however, is an analysis of the consequences of the premise—which often goes unquestioned—that contemporary theology has to be interdisciplinary. While a theology that draws on non-theological sources comes out undeniably transformed, the results, when it comes to theology's ability to be a transformative voice in today's academic and social milieux are less clear. Could it be that interdisciplinarity has become a problem, rather than an opportunity of 'resourcement'? Or, have we been too conservative in our understanding of the full potential of interdisciplinarity for theology? Could it be that we need a new nouvelle théologie, that is, a refreshed vision of what it means to be a theologian in the new radical context in which we find ourselves? The panel will discuss these and similar questions.