Preliminary Material / Courtney T. Goto -- Introduction / Courtney T. Goto -- Introduction to Part 1 / Courtney T. Goto -- Discerning the Paradigm / Courtney T. Goto -- Prophetic Tactics and Allies / Courtney T. Goto -- Introduction to Part 2 / Courtney T. Goto -- Multiple Meanings of and Approaches to the Symbol Context / Courtney T. Goto -- Presupposing and Investigating Universals / Courtney T. Goto -- Revealing the “Natives” / Courtney T. Goto -- Recruiting and Training Insiders / Courtney T. Goto -- Introduction to Part 3 / Courtney T. Goto -- Taking on Teaching: Teaching Taking On / Courtney T. Goto -- Practical Theology as a Community of Hope / Courtney T. Goto -- Between You and Me / Courtney T. Goto -- In Praise of Allies / Courtney T. Goto -- Bibliography / Courtney T. Goto -- Index of Names / Courtney T. Goto -- Index of Terms / Courtney T. Goto.

In Taking on Practical Theology , Courtney T. Goto explores the regnant paradigm that shapes knowledge production and that preserves power, privilege, and historic communal injury even as scholars intend to enlighten and transform communities. Approaching “context” as a case study, Goto illumines how this commonly used, taken-for-granted concept is “idolized.” Though practical theologians are sensitive to context, researchers often fail to consider how their own assumptive world dictates and influences their practices of research, teaching, and engaging in scholarly conversations. These practices unwittingly validate scholars who enjoy the most social capital while inflicting harm on both communities they research and on colleagues and students who do not fit (or fit less well) the norms of the majority.