Practical Theology is parenting/raising children. One can study books about parenting and attend various classes. You can see other people raise their children and have all these lofty opinions about what they are doing right or wrong. Yet, when it is time for you to raise your own child, it is a different story. All of the theory that you learned goes out the window. When you have a baby waking you up every hour and you are, sleep deprived and frustrated, it is impossible to know what you will or will not do. Similar to Pastoral Care, the focus during the newborn phase is on the child and the child’s needs. The parent’s needs tend to take a back seat to the needs of the infant.
Furthermore, there is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to parenting. Each child is different. The successful parent has to take time to nurture each child individually; catering to the gifts, talents and unique skill sets of each child. Thirdly, parenting is a process. It is ever evolving. How you parent a toddler vastly differs from how you parent a teen. This evolution happens not only with the child but also with the parent. It is a reciprocal learning process as sometimes the parent is the teacher and other times the parent is the student. The child-parent relationship is constantly evolving. In spite of all the flaws and mistakes of the parent, when done “correctly” (in the spirit of love), the child somehow comes forth as a great asset to the family and to society.
In a like manner, the theory of theology differs from the practice thereof. The practice must be contextual and individualized; paying special attention to the needs of the pastoral care recipients, for example. It requires listening and learning with every step of the journey. As in most professions, what you learn in school is not the same as what you learn in “the real world.” Thus, it requires you to be imaginative, resilient, and sometimes spontaneous. Again, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. The practical theologian must constantly evolve to meet effectively the contextual needs.
Hence, the practical theologian, like the doctor, is a part of an ongoing practice; which one never fully masters. It requires intentional and continual growth. Although the practical theologian will make mistakes along the way, if done from a sincere place of honesty and love, they will help shape individuals who are greater assets to his or her family and to society.