Theology in Ireland: Changing Contours and Contexts

Abstract

It struck many people as strange that a topic such as this, a particularly broad and general one, would be chosen as the keynote address at a major symposium to honour the lives and work of Bernard Lonergan and Karl Rahner. Yet, as we have seen from the papers specifically exploring aspects of the work of these theological giants, life and work do not separate easily, and theological reflection always takes place in a context. So do conferences. This is a time of profound change for theology in Ireland, change that is driven by a number of factors, some of which we will consider here. It is important for us to step back from the particularity of our theological engagement, look at the shifting landscape, and identify a set of markers by which we can plot the most appropriate course for theological engagement into the future.