Intercultural Theology G
Intercultural theology (IT) explores the diverse cultural forms in which Christianity appears in the global modern age and attempts to bring them into conversation with one another. It also seeks dialogue with non-Christian cultures and religions in which it recognizes the work of God’s spirit.
Source: IWM
Intercultural theology, as practiced at the IWM, understands the plurality of human cultures not as a deficit, but as an expression of the richness of God’s manifold ways of communicating himself to mankind.
It sees intercultural and interreligious dialog as an indispensable means of mutual enrichment and correction as well as an excellent way to do justice to the richness of God’s revelation in human history. She understands contextuality as a constitutive characteristic of every form of theology and faith, without abandoning the claims of universality and truth.
As a relatively young discipline, IT draws on a wide range of methodological tools in its research. It uses philosophical as well as sociological, cultural anthropological, psychological, historical, exegetical and systematic theological methods. Inter- and transdisciplinary discussion is a central characteristic of intercultural theological research.
Central themes of IT are the relationship between the Gospel and culture, universality and contextuality, dialogue between religions, the structure and dynamics of in(ter)culturalization processes and intercultural and interreligious conflicts, theories of the foreign, the construction of cultural identities, phenomena of translation, fundamentalism, intercultural and interreligious hospitality, globalization and (post-)secularization processes, post- and neo-colonialism, etc.
The IWM does not practice intercultural and interreligious dialog as an end in itself, but with a clear ethical objective. The ultimate horizon is to contribute to greater peace and justice and to the preservation of creation by promoting understanding between cultures, religions and peoples, thereby contributing to the building of the Kingdom of God. Within the prevailing economized view of the global community, it attempts to credibly testify to an alternative vision of the human family.
Responsible: Markus Luber
Source: IWM