Young Adults Doing Lived Theology: Three Modes of Theologising

Abstract

This study asks: “How do young adults theologise?” It explores creative processes of navigating a gap or a wound experienced by Finnish young adults’ between their personal beliefs and values and the Lutheran religious tradition. The dramatic religious decline and change among young adults has been shown in many studies. Here, the situation is explored through co-theologising with young adults. Based on narrative-discursive analysis of reflexive interviews, the study depicts three modes of theologising: 1) Cognitive theologising explores faith expressed in words, 2) Affective theologising focuses on the power of sensing and feeling, and 3) Practical theologising looks at the human potential and capacity to act. The aim of these modes is not to bridge the gap or heal the wound but to describe and understand it. In the end, these ‘acts of theologising’ are put together, pointing to novel methodological approaches embracing uncertainty and doubt, such as holistic theologising.