The Rupturing of Samoa’s Foundations: On the Importance of a Public Theology

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a good paper. It raises some critical issues that are relevant beyond Samoa.

One is the character of the public - how the public square and public opinion are historically and contextually defined.

Another is the relationship between tradition and democratic participation (digital public opinion shaping) in the public sphere, as well as in the relationship between church and state or in church governance.

A third topic is the relationship between global theological developments or theologies and indigenous theologies. The argument for the importance of indigenous public theology and the constructive role of "theologies from beyond" is good. It would strengthen the paper if these issues were highlighted more systematically and addressed explicitly.

The quote/reference to De Gruchy at the end is long and tends to close the discussion. Consider if these points can be used more actively and discussed in/applied to the Samoan context more comprehensively.

Author Response

Comment 1: It would strengthen the paper if these issues were highlighted more systematically and addressed explicitly.

Response 1: Thank you to the reviewer for this comment. I will take note of this comment with respect.

Comment 2: The quote/reference to De Gruchy at the end is long and tends to close the discussion. Consider if these points can be used more actively and discussed in/applied to the Samoan context more comprehensively.

Response 2: 

Thank you for this comment. I will consider placing this in a footnote.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article presents an intriguing attempt to connect the 2021 Samoan elections with the need for the "development of a local public theology."  The article does not make a convincing case in large part because it fails to make a connection to the "constitutional crisis" the elections created and the fundamental role a public theology would have made in stemming or fixing the problem.  What is more, the type of public theology advocated for necessarily precludes individual faith convictions as foundational for a prophetic theology, by suggesting that "good praxis" via John de Gruchy is helpful.  Specifically, that such public theology should "not seek to give preference to Christianity."  While the author does give a nod to Biggar's Public Theology, the research ignores his specific call to be faithful to one's theological foundations (2011).  Biggar calls for behaving, but he acknowledges that for the Christian public dialogue between differing faiths is Augustinian rather Rawlsian.  While consensus is certainly desired, there will ever be tension along the path to perfection--because the Christian does not give up their particular theological foundations nor should any individual in the public arena.  What is more, the "constitutional crisis" of 2021 was largely a legal one, whether one party invoked the will of God on its outcome or not.  In the absence of a legal plan to deal with a tie, certainly an emotional crisis given the long-standing role of the eventually defeated party, the judicial system worked out the legal issues.  The article's focus on the silence of religious leaders, and the vocal courage of a single voice, does not convey the complexities of the political issues that led to the legal standoff to which gender requirements played a significant role.  While the article's call for a public theology in Samoa is consistent with not only a political need in every culture, it has not made the case here that it would have necessarily done anything to prevent or change the outcome which a healthy and balanced judiciary did provide.

 

I believe a paper more focused on the changing culture of Samoa, perhaps, and the need for a public theology that reflects that culture would be more compelling.  More importantly, the research has touched on the more interesting aspect of how a public theology can function where a political system has determined to be more specifically trinitarian in its theological assent.  This would be the flip side of Biggar's argument about being Christian in a secular or non-establishment system.  How does such a system provide for freedom of public discourse?  What role does public theology have in shaping that discussion?

 

A point not investigated was how the need for gender quotas in the parliament led to additional complications, which ultimately contributed to the crisis of a hung parliament.

 

Not sure what the need for a reference to Trump provided in comparison to Samoa in this case.  The researcher completely ignored the fact that in the face of concerns by Trump, the legal system in the U.S. came to a different conclusion than Trump's accusations and the system carried on--much the same as the events surrounding the 2021 elections in Samoa.

 

In several places, the writing of the paper does not complete the logical argument.  That does not mean that the paper is not logical, but that many claims are made throughout the paper without closing the loop on the rhetorical requirements to complete the argument.  This points to the ultimate failure of the article to make a solid case for the need for a public theology in response to the elections of 2021.  Articulating the nature of the crisis would have gone a long way to making that connection.  The discussion on page 10 reveals the disconnect--"The crisis was a consequence of the election returning a hung Parliament for the first time ever."  The research states that the need for public theology is directly related to the invoking of God by the losing party, essentially "implicated" the Christian faith in the election.  The article further argues that the use of faith during the election also played a role, but it never explicitly states how.  It does not in the end, make a strong case that a public theology would have prevented, moderated, or somehow led to a parliament that was not hung.  In the end the crisis was not even the hung parliament, but the unwillingness of a long-standing party to concede what the legal system had decided.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see document attached.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author competently presents basic phenomena based on the broad literature on the subject.

Recognized by the author "The traditional customary values ​​of fa'a Samoa now find expression in

context that is the legacy of nineteenth-century Western missionaries, democratic principles and global discourses related to human rights" testify to the reference of values ​​that should be the determinant of society's decisions.

 The issue of questioning the Church's default practice of silence in the face of public issues refers to numerous attacks on the Church's "meddling" in social life.

The author's interesting search for defining what the public sphere is leads to further research questions.

Author Response

Reviewer 3 did not ask me to do anything else.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author has largely rejected my comments in light of the acceptance of the article by the other two reviewers as it was originally submitted, "The comments by the second reviewer need to be read and seen in the light of the other two reviewers: they both appreciated the argument, content and exposition in a way which led them both to recommend that the article be received as it is."  I stand by my original comments on the paper, and am disappointed with both the tone and responses of the author.  My comments were honestly given in the hopes of helping the research.