Missionary Options for a Secular Age: Remaining in the World for the Salvation of the World

The purpose of this doctoral project is to develop a theology of mission that addresses the current theological challenges that are part of the secular culture of the United States. This will be accomplished by first describing the particular theological problems posed by the (secularizing/secularized) culture of the United States. Areas that will be explored include the emergence of hybrid forms of 'spirituality' and religious practices, the effects of the economy, technology, and Anglo-American liberalism on religiosity, the social imaginary that exists in the United States, and the effects of this complex culture on Catholic self-identity in particular. Then, two possible theologies of mission that have been posited in order to address the problem of mission in the United States will be explored. These are a more evangelically - Protestant response, as articulated in the research of Stanley Hauerwas, and a Catholic response, as articulated in the research of Steven Bevans and Roger Schroeder. After comparing and contrasting these two views in light of the contemporary religious landscape of the United States, and assessing how well these views address the current theological issues manifested in American culture, these views will be brought into dialogue with the theology of mission articulated by Hans Urs von Balthasar. The goal of this final task will be to provide a critical and constructive appropriation of von Balthasar's theology of mission in order to address the contemporary American religious context.status: publishe