#PublicTheology Twitter Chat

What is "Public Theology"?


What does it mean to have a “Public Theology”? Here at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (@LTSP), it is one of the core educational tenets. All incoming seminarians are required to take an Introduction to Public Theology course (@LTSP_IPT), several of my professors in other classes have spoken about having a “public theology,” and I would say a number of people on campus would describe themselves as “public theologians”.

Join me (@abmoreno1981) on Sunday, October 11th at 8pm EST, as I moderate a Twitter chat about “Public Theology”. It is my hope that people of faith from all over the country will be able to join us! Whether you are a seminarian at LTSP, from another seminary, an ordained leader, or a just an everyday person of faith looking for an interesting Twitter chat, I hope that you will join us!

Is it the role of the church to get involved with “public” affairs? When should we, as people of faith, speak out, and when should we stay quiet? What does the Word of God call us to do? There are many questions surrounding this topic. Please look below for the questions that will be asked in the chat. Feel free to answer them ahead of time, to make sure you can fit your thoughts into 140 characters. If you are not able to answer them before the chat, no worries. Join us and answer the questions as they are tweeted out and respond to other people’s answers, as well.

Twitter chats are a fantastic way to discuss a wide range of topics. I am excited for people of faith to share their thoughts and ideas in a public forum like Twitter.

Never participated in a Twitter chat? Have no fear. Watch the video explaining some easy to follow guidelines and pointers. Check back here after the chat to review the entire “archived” chat through Storify.



Questions for #PublicTheology Twitter Chat

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, 8pm EST

Q1: What is the difference between theology and religion?

Q2: What are the positive impacts of having a "Public Theology" over keeping one's theology private?

Q3: What could be the negative outcomes of having a "Public Theology", instead of keeping one's theology private?

Q4: What traditions of the church either strengthen or hinder its ability to have an effective "Public Theology"?

Q5: What new ideas or practices does the church need to embrace in order to reach a 21st Century faith-seeker?

Q6: In your own community, what can you do to be a Public Theologian?

Q7: Is the practice of "Public Theology" supported by scripture? Please share passages that support your ideas.

Q8: What are some ideas for future #PublicTheology chats? The ideas with the most "favorites" will be strongly considered for upcoming chats.


Missed the chat and want to see the discussion? Wanna add your own thoughts? Looking for a specific tweet from the chat? Click on the button to connect with the archived Twitter chat.


Click on the button to check out my thoughts on "Public Theology", to read some great articles, and to watch a video from one of LTSP's professor's on the topic.