近二十年來，在當代基督教學界裡，「公共神學」已經蔚為一個新的運動，值得關注。本文旨在回溯這個神學運動的歷史脈絡，包括清教徒運動、蘇格蘭啟蒙運動、歐洲的政治神學、北美的公民宗教傳統等。一方面探討它的形塑過程和歷史面貌，另一方面則要指明，基督教在公共領域裡的「涉入和參與」一直是内蘊於其自身傳統的特質。換句話說，本文意在指明，基督教自始就是一個公共宗教。只不過這樣的特質，必須要等到近現代後才逐漸明顯浮現，特別是受到加爾文所開啟的改革宗傳統的深厚影響。在二十世紀中葉後，更在有識之士的推動下，形成一個明顯且有意識的神學運動。

Over the last two decades public theology has emerged as a new and noteworthy theological movement in modern Christian scholarship. This article will retrace the historical contexts of this theological movement, including the traditions of the Puritan movement, the Scottish Enlightenment, political theology in Europe, and civil religion in North America. On the one hand, this paper will study the formative processes and historical profile of public theology; on the other it will argue that “involvement and participation in the public arena” has always been part of the intrinsic character of Christianity. In other words, while Christianity from its beginnings has always been a “public religion,” this character has only gradually revealed itself following the pre-modern period, under the strong influence of the Reformed tradition. From the middle of the twentieth century onwards it has become an obvious and conscientious movement.