Hermeneutics in Real Life. Practical Theology in Flanders (Belgium)

This contribution offers an analysis of practical and/or pastoral theology in Belgium, especially in Flanders. The author gives a short historical overview of pastoral theology at the K.U.Leuven. The second part of the contribution contains an explanation of the structure and the main domains within pastoral theology at the K.U.Leuven. In a third step the author speaks about challenges for the future development of pastoral/practical theology, and analyses the cultural Belgian (Flemish) context of the church in relation to society. In a fourth step she shortly refers to practical theology in Protestant faculties in Belgium. Hermeneutics is described as a key-element in a pastoral and practical theological approach at the K.U.Leuven, which is centered around four main domains of research and education, especially koinonia, liturgia, diakonia and kerugma. Practical and/or pastoral theology in Belgium is confronted with a balance act between relativism and fundamentalism, between society/culture and church and between centrifugal and centripetal movements within the church. © Walter de Gruyter 2008.status: publishe