"Will the real God please stand up?" : To tell the truth practical theology style

The long-running popular American television show "To Tell the Truth" involved having celebrity panellists select the real holder of an unusual job from a group made up of two imposters and an authentic contestant. After a period of questioning and reflection, the big reveal would come wit...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Mikoski, Gordon S. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2024
In: Stellenbosch theological journal
Year: 2024, Volume: 10, Issue: 3, Pages: 201-213
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
CH Christianity and Society
KBQ North America
NBC Doctrine of God
Further subjects:B Moral and political consequences
B Empirical evidence for beliefs about God
B Nature of God
B United States context
B moral and political consequences
B empirical evidence for beliefs about God
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Summary:The long-running popular American television show "To Tell the Truth" involved having celebrity panellists select the real holder of an unusual job from a group made up of two imposters and an authentic contestant. After a period of questioning and reflection, the big reveal would come with the now iconic tag line, "Will the Real X please stand up?" Like multiple contestants on the game show, empirical research consistently demonstrates that people in predominantly Christian countries like the United States hold differing views about the nature of God. Such research begs the question, "Will the real God please stand up?" More than simply an interesting matter of scholarly debate, views of God have real world moral and political consequences for the individuals and communities who hold them. Responding to the organizing question of the 2023 Global Network conference from an orientation within the field of practical theology involves taking seriously the available empirical evidence for beliefs about God in particular cultural contexts and relating those views to conceptions of the divine that arise from theological work premised on special revelation and ecclesial traditions. This article will offer an answer to the organizing question in a way that would make sense to at least some practical theologians.
ISSN:2413-9467
Contains:Enthalten in: Stellenbosch theological journal
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n3.a11