also important how that person comes across, engages, and relates to an audience. In this regard we emphasise a decentred role.Simultaneously and strangely enough when focusing on the individual, it also implies looking through the telescope, bringing into view potential far off contexts and audiences that relate to the stories being told. The horizon of practical theology then opens up both in terms of (1) its agenda (be it in domains, such as, ecology, politics, or socio-economics); (2) its audience (ministry, academia, society); (3) in its ways (attitude, methodologies) of working alongside other disciplines; and (4) with the acknowledgement of different shapes of our human rationality (such as may be found in e.g. philosophy, psychology, or economic and management sciences).Do these metaphors - microscope and telescope - constitute yet another dualism? It certainly is not intended to do so. It rather involves the recognition that, as Mottier (2005) notes, referring Heidegger, 'being cannot be dissociated from being-in-the-world.' Or, as Tracy mentions about new ecumenism, the universal is to be found by embracing the particular (1994:138). In likewise fashion Debray comments (2008:35):'The appearance of localisms does not negate globalization. On the contrary, it is a product of globalization.'From a social constructionist perspective, we view the individual as a member of a tribe, but a member that has a particular narrative. The particular (also the 'local' as opposed to the universal, 'oral' as opposed to text, and 'timely' as opposed to timeless) relate to what Toulmin (1988:338) has named the neglected half of the philosophical field from the 17th century, namely practical philosophy. If the measure of the 'particular' is par excellence a matter of practical philosophy, then the 'particularity' of the practical theologian, of the way in which the facilitator is inscribed, constitutes in exemplary fashion the discipline as practical theology. AcknowledgementsCompeting interestsThe authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) which may have adversely affected the writing of the article. ReferencesAdeney, F.S., 2009, 'Why Biography? Contributions of Narrative Studies to Mission: Theology and Mission Theory', Mission Studies 26, 153-172. http://dx.doi.org/10 .1163/016897809X12548912398758 [ Links ]Anderson, R.S., 2001, The shape of practical theology: Empowering ministry with theological praxis, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. [ Links ]Arbnor, I. & Bjerke, B., 2009, Methodology for creating business knowledge, 3rd edn., SAGE, London. [ Links ]Barbieri, W.A. Jr, 1998, 'Ethics and the Narrated Life', The Journal of Religion 78(3), 361-386. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/490234 [ Links ]Bens, I., 2005, Facilitating with ease: Core skills for facilitators, team leaders and members, managers, consultants, and trainers, 2nd edn., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA. PMCid:1665473 [ Links ]Brown, M., 2002, 'The Facilitator as Gatekeeper: A Critical Analysis of Social Order in Facilitation Sessions', Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning 2(2), 101-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14729670285200211 [ Links ]Brown, M., 2003, 'Paraphrases and summaries: A means of clarification or a vehicle for articulating a preferred version of student account?', Australian Journal of Outdoor Education 7(2), 25-33. [ Links ]Brown, M., 2004, '"Let's go round the circle:" How Verbal Facilitation Can Function as a Means of Direct Instruction', Journal of Experiential Education 27(2), 161-175. [ Links