Komplementarność teologii pastoralnej i duszpasterstwa

Abstract

Defining pastoral (practical) theology in his apostolic exhortation Pastores dabo vobis, John Paul II wrote that it is a scientific reflection on the Church as it is built up daily, by the power of the Spirit, in history; on the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation, as a living sign and instrument of the salvation wrought by Christ through the word, the sacraments and the service of charity (PDV 57). By showing the essence of this theological discipline, he also pointed out the problem of the pastoral character of theology as a whole, which is tied to the relationship between high scientific standards in theology and its pastoral aim (PDV 55). John Paul II emphasized that such characteristics of theology are not opposed to each other, but work together, from different angles, in favor of a more complete understanding of the faith. According to the pope, the pastoral character of theology is related on one hand to the fact that the study of theology, taking into account the genuinely scientific character of individual theological disciplines, helps train pastors of souls as teachers of faith, and on the other causes the awareness that there is a pastoral goal in view to influence the approach to theology of future priests. Writing about the pastoral ity of theology, the pope accents the fact that theology enables future priests to proclaim the Gospel message through the cultural modes of their age and to direct pastoral action according to authentic theological vision (PDV 55). The purpose of this article is an attempt to demonstrate the complementarity of pastoral theology and pastoral care. The author has first described the notion and issues of pastoral theology, showing its purpose, material and formal subjects, and methodology. Later the article shows the essence of pastoral care and its divisions. The author’s considerations culminate in indicating the complementarity of the two described realities. They are neither directly unified nor absolutely different. The doctrinal and pastoral dimensions of the Church’s life and activity are complementary with respect to each other, forming a bipolar and varied unity. The theory of Church activities proposed by pastoral theology in constructed theological models and corresponding pastoral imperatives and programs needs to be tested in practice. On the other hand, pastoral practice verifies the theological models of salutary activities proposed by pastoral theology, either confirming or rejecting the suggestions they contain (this does not, of course, apply to the teachings of the Church Magisterium, but to the manner in which they are put into practice). For the Church to correctly realize its mission as a salutary mediator in the rapidly changing world subject to various currents of contemporary times, there is a need for a constant dialogue between pastoral care theoreticians and practicians who will read the signs of the times and update the method of proclaiming the salutary message of Christ together.