155 The Methodology of Theological Action Research 4 threatened by the continuing hold of faith’ (Cameron et al., 2010, p. 18). Cameron et al. (2010) did not want to risk falling into such polarisation. Rather than becoming trapped in a battle, they suggested the approach of practical theology, indicating its central task as being to ‘propose anew the deep connectedness of the Christian theological tradition and human experience’ (Cameron et al., 2010, p. 18). With this approach, deliberately not just cognitive but also including both faith and the practice of practitioners, TAR can be characterised as holistic: As long as theology remains only words, or discipleship is only action, the dynamic of Theological Action Research is not under way (…) Practical theology is a discipline committed to making whole and dynamic the truthfulness of Christian thought and action, through the bringing together of aspects of faith which, in truth, can never be separated from one another. (Cameron et al., 2010, pp. 20, 26) Five characteristic features TAR, therefore, offers a method that is, in itself, holistic and focuses on faithbased organisations (including schools) in modern, secular, pluralistic and fragmented society with the goal of renewing in this changed context the articulation of traditional faith in a contemporary way. Thus, it is built around five characteristic features. It is theological all the way through, understands theology via four voices, discloses theology through conversations, aims at the formative transformation of practice and allows practice to contribute to the transformation of theology. First, I will summarise these five features and then, afterwards, I will discuss them to clarify their usefulness for this study. 1. Theological all the way through TAR belongs to the discipline of practical theology. The following features of practical theology were deliberately incorporated into TAR (Cameron et al., 2010, p. 67): • Collaborative working between practitioners and academics. • Taking practice seriously as already faithful to the gospel but seeking greater faithfulness in a changing context. • Asking theological questions about the work of church organisations and faith-based agencies. • Gathering data systematically rather than anecdotally. • Performing theological reflection that allows practical theology to act as a gateway to the wider theological task of facilitating change in belief and action.
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