276 PART THREE: CONCLUSIONS In any case, this study is, in and of itself, an exercise in a strand of theology that contributes to systematic theological questions through practical theological means. I think that this reinforces the existing theological principle that any formof theology is essentially based on the Christ-experience, whether of the past or the present. The added value of the practical theological perspective is that it grounds such a theological endeavor in concrete and credible empirical data instead of relying on presumptions, thereby substantiating (potential) expressions of the sensus fidei. This can indeed enrich theology on all levels and topics as it contributes to a truly ‘listening church’ as advocated by Pope Francis: A Church always on the defensive, which loses her humility and stops listening to others, which leaves no room for questions, loses her youth and turns into a museum. (…) Even if she possesses the truth of the Gospel, this does not mean that she has completely understood it; rather, she is called to keep growing in her grasp of that inexhaustible treasure.570 In light of this goal of learning-through-listening and in the context of discerning the authentic sensus fidei, careful consideration of all (four) theological voices is required. Practical theology with its use of methods from the social sciences can indeed contribute through articulating ‘grounded theologies’ in order to complement the dialogical nature of theology that leads to a deeper understanding of the treasure of the Gospel. To this end, the current study has adapted the Theological Action Research model to a different research context to enable this dialogue. Thus, the model can not only be applied to study and improve a specific practice in a particular context on a micro level but can also facilitate the theological discourse on a macro level. Qualitative research methods, as this study has demonstrated, are particularly helpful not only in detecting and articulating (potential) expressions of the sensus fidei, but also in understanding them properly – in service of the development of doctrine by exploring the lived faith and through articulation of new categories to express this faith. Explorations in Ecclesiology and Ethnography, ed. Christian B. Scharen, Explorations in Ecclesiology and Ethnography (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2012), as well as other contributions to this series. 570 Francis, Christus Vivit, post-synodal apostolic exhortation (Loreto, 2019), sec. 41, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papafrancesco_esortazione-ap_20190325_christus-vivit.html. This is also the basis for the synodal process launched by Pope Francis in preparation of the postponed 2023 synod on synodality, originally scheduled for October 2022.
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