Participatory Action Research: Practical Theology for Social Justice

This article looks at participatory action research (PAR) as a means for a religious educator to unite scholarship and teaching with the purpose of building up community and moving toward social justice. A definition of this term is offered as well as short examples of how different religious educators have engaged in doing PAR in their respective communities. The place of the researcher is analyzed and the different methods of research that are a part of PAR are briefly described. As a practical theology for social justice, theological reflection is integrated with the theory and practice of PAR.