Empirical Theology: A Natural Development?

Empirical theology is distinguished from practical theology by reference to the views of Duncan Forrester and J van der Ven. The nature and historical emergence of theological disciplines are considered and related to the social science methods found in van der Ven’s account of empirical theology. Such social science methods are congruent with those used in natural sciences and therefore in natural theology. Empirical theology may be variously located within the whole enterprise of theology. Yet, it belongs in the theological fold by virtue of its relation to natural theology and through the historical trajectory by which the subdisciplines of theology have come into being.