![]() It is also true more widely, however, in that theology is usually understood to be concerned with a certain kind of discourse – a process of speaking and listening – in relation to God. This is most obviously the case in the domain of practical theology, where, for example, Jane Leach (2007) has explicitly emphasised the importance of giving careful attention to voices – both human and divine – as a core pastoral concern. Theology is fundamentally concerned with listening to voices. ![]() ![]() That speaker may be the unconscious self, or it may be that the voice is recorded or transmitted by means of technology from some remote time or place, but somewhere, sometime, the presumption is that someone must have spoken. The experience of hearing of a voice therefore necessitates that there must – somewhere – be a speaker. They are created, spoken, by intentional agents. Voices are not random sounds that arise by chance. The fact that people sometimes hear voices in the absence of any visibly present speaker is therefore highly paradoxical and begs explanation. Having a “voice” is a crucial part of the fabric of human community. Listening to the voices of others, we become socially aware. Listening to our inner voices, we become self-aware. The existence of a voice implies the presence of a speaker and the hearing of a voice invites the possibility of listening to what has been said. Voices are meaningful and significant to human creatures. Voices, employing words and language to convey meaning, shape our understanding of ourselves as persons and enable us to construct narratives that identify us as individuals in relation to the world around us. In prayer, both spoken and inner voices become a means of communication with God. Inner voices play an important part in our stream of consciousness, assisting the self-reflection and internal dialogue which enable us to know ourselves. Spoken voices enable us to use language socially as a means of communication with one another.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |