roms sigh. Rover, Alternative Vision: An \ uerpretatin of Liberation Theology. Now 4S Th AGaatnve vision ‘Yk Pauls Press, 1985, from the past. In what follows, then, I wil look at each ofthese poles successively ‘The Method of Correlation “The term "a method of corelation” is closely associated with the theology of Paul Tilich who, in his three volume S)stematie Theology, ‘urtined the method he uses in the work and labeled ita method of cor felation.” Broadly desribed,Tilich saw the method of systematic the- ‘logy consisting in a formulation of the question of human existence in {he light of contemporary experience and philosophy to which the Chis iy mnesage of revelation provided an answer in terms ofits central Symbols, Here the term “corelstion” should not be understood in a {ule Tilichign sense, neither as formulated by him asin principle fnethod of question and answer nor according to his actual execution of the method. Rather correlation simply means that adequate and intel- Tiible method in theology today requires thatthe two poles of contem- _ porary human expesinee, including religious experience, and of history, “Tapecaly the retord of the originating experiences of Christian “Yound in Scripture, be held together in dialogue, tension, correlation ‘vith each ether" Indeed this method, formulated in these broad terms, has characterized all of the creative theology of the modern period beginning with the end ofthe eighteenth century. Even the theology of ‘Karl Barth sa response to human culture, albeit a negative one, which contains far more borrowing from his contemporary world than his prin- ciples admit. “The first pole or element ofa contemporary theology then is con. temporary experience, The human experience referred to here is not simply personal experienc, although that is not excluded. Rather it refers toa critical appropriation of more general human experience. It involves an analysis that tres to ferret out the common dimensions of hhomen experience today, It would involve not only examining the psy choloyical strvctures of our experince, but also the socaly and eultu ily mediated aspects of human thought and experience, Tt won involve eitieism of the common assumptions tha are always at workin tour experience and which are provided ws by society and its ideologies Moreover since contemporary human experience forms the contest and tmatrix forall oor human understanding, one must begin theological Undeestending at this point. And, consequently, the first norm for any ble theolegy willbe is adequacy or ineligibility relative to conter- porary humaa experience weiner The second pole or element of contemy tt crt ote hen ores nese Ces New Testament, Sins Christianity is an historical phenomenon, an ade ‘quate understanding of it necessarily includes an understanding ofits ‘must be faithful to the Christin message tothe inner meshing and logic ithe Chetan nage asi pp nitecoes itn tect He snes at ch stl a ‘etn gun or cee Raman nena ie math ote oda a Bar oar ere Salted of te Contemporary Experience, Anthropology, ° and the Question for Christm Sourees Much of what may’ be called typically modern or contemporary human experience his already been secn in the alysis of the suppesi-