Decentralizing Theology: The Second Vatican Council and Peter Phan

This chapter focuses on the decentralization of theology - that is, on the inclusion of Christian traditions rooted outside of the West, within a worldwide community, having as a reference the prophetic vision of the Second Vatican Council. This theme lends itself to an ecclesiological analysis, but I deal with it from a political perspective interested in the complexity of the new challenges of contemporary theology, and also in their social and political consequences. The legitimacy of this perspective is grounded - first of all - in the Christian tradition, which over the course of the history has influenced not only the religious sphere but also avere area of human life, and especially the political. Second, I argue that the solutions and approaches to this issue will be both theological and political, because whenever we face the theological challenges, this will influence the sociopolitical order, whether directly or not. Third, though not pretending to resolve the question of the decanting of theology, I hereby attempt to frame and restate the term of the issues at hand.