Practical Theology in the Islamic Society

Abstract

Practical theology is part of the reflections of Christian theologians that have emerged in the last two centuries especially in the wake of Schleiermacher's works. Still, in the history of Islamic civilization there have been practical theologies (without using the term) among both Shia and Sunni scholars. This article aims to determine which topics in practical theology are most relevant to Islamic societies. "Islamic societies" will be divided into two parts, that is, Islamic societies under non-Islamic governments and Islamic societies under Islamic governments, and practical theology in both will be discussed. In spite of the commonalities between these two types of Islamic societies, the specific issues are particularly significant, especially in light of the Islamic Revolution. Our focus has therefore been on the priorities of practical theology within contemporary Iranian society. Some of the topics discussed in this article are not directly religious, but have had a major impact on people's religious beliefs. The first point is about the relationship between religious authorities and the government. In the second point I will discuss the influence of ethnic and national cultures and traditions on the propagation of religion. In the third point, I will discuss the conditions of our time and how it affects understanding and propagating religion. The fourth point examines the incompleteness of the plans and the failure to present plans that fit the government's intentions. Finally, I explore the lack of rationality in some government statements and behaviors. I will show how all of the points mentioned above affect society's perception of religious belief.

Keywords

• government
• religious beliefs
• religious authorities
• society's perception