Research Center Religion - Violence - Communication - World Order
Head
assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nikolaus Wandinger (Department of Systematic Theology)
Deputy Head
Mag. Dr. Johannes Panhofer (Department of Practical Theology)
Research Objectives
The research project examines the significance of the biblical Revelation and the ecclesial praxis regarding religion, communication and violence in the present. Our work wants to enable a change in our culture encouraging peaceful connections. The paramount place of the praxis is the Church with its constitutive nature as community and as Universal Church, particularly as it is involved in the dialogue with different religions and world views in a society of plurality. Our Church commit in the Second Vatican Council to a continuous renewal in order to become an increasingly distinct sign of possible salvation in a global world affected by serious crisis. Thus, important questions regarding the Church’s internal and external forms of communication need to be discussed.
The aim of the research project will be pursued on three levels demonstrating both the intramural and the extramural networking of the department of theology.
The first level consists in basic research resting upon a twofold tension: the supporting research groups “Dramatic Theology” and “Communicative Theology”, and the different methodological subject orientation of Systematic and Practical Theology. The theological perspective is broadened by integrating philosophy, political science, depth psychology and cultural history.
The second level is the interconnection of the research project „Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts” at the University of Innsbruck with national and international partners.
The third level results from the inner connection of theology and Church and the unity of dogma and pastoral as defined by the last council. This concern becomes visible in a specific research culture established in TCI.
During the semester, the research project meets monthly with contributions on the main topics and to discuss current ideas of individual researchers. In addition to its engagement with the topics “God’s action” and “Kairology – Signs of the Time”, the project currently wants to attend theologically the reform process within the Catholic Church that has been initiated by Pope Francis. In the last two years we have started a new project: on the contributions of religions, first of all of the Catholic Church, in the present crisis of Europe as a project of freedom at peace.
Interview with Roman Siebenrock (Video)
Affiliated Organisational Units
- Department of Art History
- Department of Biblical Studies and Historical Theology
- Department of Christian Philosophy
- Department of Political Science
- Department of Practical Theology
- Department of Systematic Theology