Practical Theology in the United States 2000-2020 with Attention to Its Emergence in the Twentieth Century

Practical Theology (PT) in the US emerged in the latter half of the 20th century shaped by the epistemological turn toward a critical postmodernity and liberation theologies. This article traces the emergence of PT in the 20th and first two decades of the 21st century including attention to the emergence of several constitutive fields and the Association of Practical Theology. I will attend to several trajectories: epistemological and related liberative political influences, effects of privilege and marginalization for the integrity of the discipline and the knowledge it constructs, methodological innovations, and strategies for research. The article describes emerging trajectories.