ISA Pioneers in Holding a Seminar-Workshop on Empirical Research

For the first time in its history, the Institute of Spirituality in Asia (ISA) held a seminar-workshop on “Doing Empirical Research on Spirituality, Theology and Religion” on October 20-21, 2018.

For the landmark activity, ISA forged a partnership with the Center for Empirical Studies in Spirituality, Theology and Religion (CESSTREL) Asia.

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Resource persons were Fr. Rico P. Ponce, O.Carm and Fr. Dave Dean Capucao, both experts on empirical research and holders of doctoral degrees in Empirical Theology at Radboud Universiteit-Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

On Day 1 Fr. Capucao defined empirical research and its role in spirituality, theology and religion. A graduate of the Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, he is the research coordinator of Saint Vincent School of Theology. He is also the rector of St. Joseph Formation House of the Prelature of Infanta, Quezon and a professor at Mother of Good Counsel Seminary and at the Ateneo de Manila University. 

On Day 2 Fr. Ponce discussed the empirical-theological cycle and its elements: development and goal of the theological problem; theological induction; theological deduction; empirical-theological testing; and theological evaluation. As executive director and faculty member of ISA, he has guided a number of researchers on spirituality and theology and has facilitated the publication of their works.

Day 2 included a workshop on identifying an empirical-theological problem and formulating objectives for undertaking research on it, the conceptual framework and the population of the study. Workshop results were presented in plenary for critiquing and improvement.

Held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Teresa of Avila Building, the seminar-workshop attracted researchers and individuals interested in research. A number of participants travelled all the way from Baguio City in Northern Philippines (Saint Louis University) and from the Diocese of Legaspi, Albay in Southern Luzon, part of the largest island of the country.  Those based in Metro Manila included students of the Redemptorist Seminary and its Dean, a lay volunteer from Quezon City, and Religious Sisters from Myanmar and Indonesia taking their masteral studies in the Philippines.

Carmen Alviar, Ph.D.