Nov 23 2023
#73 – Expanding Theological Imagination with Matt Downey and Rohadi
I (Rohadi) have had the pleasure to endorse a number of books in 2023 and that includes Go Wide. Reimagining the Landscape of Theology. If we take seriously the notion of decolonizing and deconstructing Christianity, that journey needs signposts along the way to help guide us to a more life giving faith. This book by Matte Downey is going to help, and this podcast episode is a teaser of what’s inside.
Here’s my endorsement:
“Downey develops an expansive and relational hermeneutic adept for a more liberative and inclusive posture in our modern world. This wider theological imagination is indeed “dangerous”, as Downey concludes, because it subverts hegemonic power systems that describe a far too narrow view of who God is.”
A little more about Go Wide:
What happens when we sidestep the notions of hierarchy and verticality in how we think about God, the world, and all things theological? How does emphasizing the expansiveness and breadth of God affect how we read the Bible and engage with topics such as salvation and the church? Using the lens of latitude, Martha (Matte) Elias Downey reframes familiar biblical stories and reimagines theological concepts, purposefully circumventing the oppressive, top-down dynamics of hierarchy. This book encompasses a broad range of theology by combining biblical interpretation, systematic theology, practical theology, and a selection of personal anecdotes. Here is an accessible and inclusive foray into theology for anyone interested in a fresh take on an ancient course of study.
I have a PhD in dramatic theology and spend my time pondering the meanings of stories and texts, seeking wisdom in unexpected places, learning to ask better questions, labouring over my words, taking photographs of every little thing, feeling all the feelings, and drinking copious amounts of chai. This is where I share what I’m learning, thinking about, and seeing in the world. Nothing is final. All is in process.
Find her at https://mattedowney.wordpress.com/ and on Instagram.
Find Rohadi at www.rohadi.com and on Instagram. Please rate the podcast wherever you’re listening!