The church, theology and society A study of Stanley Hauerwas and Max L. Stackhouse

The discussion concerning what role the church and theology should have in a modern, western society is a question that is ongoing in Sweden as well as in other countries. The present; American theologians Stanley Hauerwas and Max L. Stackhouse have different ideas concerning the identity of the church and theology as well as their relation to the society they are in. This essay surveys their views on the church and the theology and how they should relate to the society. Hauerwas focuses his theology on the church, and the first part of the essay deals with his view on what makes a church, how it differs from the rest of the world and what the church’s calling is. The second part about Hauerwas exemplifies questions, expressions and issues that he thinks is important for the church in the society. It deals with his view on war and peace, the expressions democracy and rights and he points to the problem that they are natural parts of the society that can’t be questioned, even though they are not perfect systems or expressions. The third part deals with Stackhouse’s view of the term public theology, what it is and why he sees it as necessary for a theology that wants to be relevant for society. The fourth part focuses on issues that Stackhouse sees important for public theology in the society. The essay surveys his view on globalization, human rights and economy and how these have a theological background and that theology with its ethical basis need to influence these societal expressions for the society to be what he sees as more equal and better. In the essay’s final part there is a comparison between the theologies of Hauerwas and Stackhouse with examples of how they criticize each other