The Concept of Engendering in the Theology of Christoph Theobald: Between Ecclesiogenesis and Pastoral Ministry

This study analyzes the concept of the ”pastoral approach of ‘engendering’” (pastorale d’engendrement), developed by Christoph Theobald and other French-speaking theologians. In the context of exculturation, this model understands the Church not as an institution primarily concerned with transmitting doctrine, but as a space where faith is engendered as a personal and relational event. The aim is to present synthetically the theological foundations of this proposal and its significance for contemporary evangelization. The method employed is a critical and systematizing analysis of selected primary texts (including those of Edouard Pousset and Philippe Bacq), taking into account both the sociological context of exculturation and the inspirations of the Second Vatican Council. At the center of this reflection lies the conviction that the Gospel constitutes the principle of the Church’s genesis, and that pastoral ministry consists in creating the conditions in which God engenders faith in free and relational subjects (capax Dei). This model emphasizes the primacy of the Word of God, the communal reading of Scripture, and ecclesiogenesis unfolding within concrete contexts of life.