From Historiography to Theography: Thinking with Michel de Certeau
What follows is written under the banner of gratitude to a thinker, Michel de Certeau (1925-1986), who demonstrated the critical and constructive capacities of thought, at home walking the boundaries of academic disciplines and everyday practices. To express this gratitude, I want to focus on a few pages of de Certeau’s The Writing of History, that specifically deal with writing, chronology and construction in the practice of history. Written by John McCarthy, with an introduction by Isabella Bruckner.
On New Ways of Thinking about the Church (Part III)
In what follows, I reduce Jesus’ teaching to a schema of four descriptors that organize its qualities. In each case I highlight Jesus’ expansive teaching by alluding to a Gospel story and develop its characteristics through a Jewish interpretation stimulated by Heschel. The four qualities could be subdivided and multiplied to carry further interpretive nuances. They are illustrative and not exhaustive. The important point here consists in recognizing that Jesus was Jewish – and that what he represented in his preaching deserves unique attention on the part of the churches of his disciples… Part III of „On New Ways of Thinking about the Church“ by Roger Haight SJ , introduced by Andreas Telser.
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Who is Afraid of Gender? Reflections on Power, Identity, and Democratic Futures
On December 4-5, the historic Benedictine monastery of Melk opened its doors to a gathering of the 9th Religionspolitologische Forum that felt both urgent and necessary. Under the ceilings where monks have pursued learning for centuries, eight scholars from across Europe and beyond converged to examine a question that grows more pressing by the day: how has “gender” become a weapon in the hands of those seeking to dismantle democratic institutions? A report by Katerina Koci.
Die Natur des Entwurfes: Überlegungen aus einem Hölderlin Entwürfe-Workshop
Von 24. bis 26. September 2025 fand an der Universität Wien ein transdisziplinärer Workshop zu den Entwürfen des Homburger Foliohefts unter dem Titel „Ein seidnes Maas, des Entwurfes nemlich“. Hölderlin lesen: Entwürfe aus dem Homburger Folioheft statt. Der Workshop wurde im Rahmen des FWF-Projekts Gott in Anmuth in Kooperation mit der Hölderlin-Gesellschaft und dem Forschungszentrum „Religion and Transformation“ organisiert und von Hölderlin Expert*innen von verschiedenen Universitäten und aus verschiedenen Disziplinen begleitet. Ein Bericht von Marco Fiorletta
On New Ways of Thinking about the Church (Part II)
Most Christians have a general idea of how the church developed. The New Testament provides the main entrée into that process, but it does not paint an exact picture of how the church took form in response to the preaching of Jesus and his execution… Part II of „On New Ways of Thinking about the Church“ by Roger Haight SJ , introduced by Andreas Telser.
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Spuren jüdischen Lebens in Anatolien: Antakya und Gaziantep
Antakya und Gaziantep waren über Jahrhunderte Orte religiöser Vielfalt – ein Alltag, der lange selbstverständlich war. Heute erzählen Synagogen und Friedhöfe von einem fast verschwundenen jüdischen Leben und davon, warum das Erinnern daran für unsere Gegenwart wichtig bleibt. Hier lebten Muslim*innen, Christ*innen und Jud*innen oft Tür an Tür. Städte wie Gaziantep waren eng mit Aleppo verbunden – über Handel, Familienbeziehungen und gemeinsame Nachbarschaften. Ein Beitrag von Aysun Yaşar.
On New Ways of Thinking about the Church (Part I)
For a growing number of Christians, mainly in the Western hemisphere, church-talk has become problematic for many reasons. However, for theology to shy away from or even avoid questions of the church only further limits the credibility of theology. Throughout his œuvre, Roger Haight has consistently tackled challenging issues for contemporary publics. With an introduction by Andreas Telser
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A New Pope, A New Dawn
Personal reflections on the papacy, an American pontiff, and hope that faith and leadership may yet shape our fractured world.
By Willemien Otten, Professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School. With an Introduction by Andreas Telser.
The Zero Theorem – “Zero must equal 100%”[1]. AI, Totalitarianism, and The Voluntary Path to Self-Enslavement: A Theological Perspective
The question of what philosophy and theology have to contribute to the development of AI has been a matter of scholarly debates. While AI entered common human lives almost abruptly and immediately, human adaptability proved impeccable: AI became a part of life as another commodity. In her contribution, Milja Radovic explores the possible downsides of AI from a theological point of view and asks the question: Is AI really for the benefit of humanity?
The Small Stone in the Shoe. When Obsession Meets Grace: The Ambiguities of Scrupulosity – A Review of „Can Scrupulosity Be Spiritually Innocent?“
In her article, Veronika Hübner reflects on a recent lecture by Tasia Scrutton at the European Academy of Religion, exploring the ambiguities of Scrupulosity—a religiously infused obsessive-compulsive condition that can deeply disrupt faith while occasionally fostering spiritual depth.
