Catholic theology with anthropological perspectives
The future headquarters of the Institute of Catholic Theology will be in the former forensic medicine building at Hannoversche Straße 6. Johannes Helmrath is responsible for the destiny of the Institute. The Professor of Mediaeval History was appointed Founding Director last autumn. His current main tasks related to the Institute are to advertise the professor positions, to draft the study regulations and to put together the appointment committee. “The first committee meetings will be in February,” says Dr Helmrath. There are five professor positions to be filled: two W3 professor positions and three junior professor positions, one without tenure track. The Guardini professor position, which is currently found in the Theology Faculty, will also be moved to the Institute.
The plan is for the Institute to have a team of professors with a strong research focus. It will offer teaching programmes and a single Bachelor’s programme in “Religion and Society”. Studying at this Institute should prepare students to teach in schools, to carry out educational work outside of schools in religious organisations, associations, the media and science. It will be based on a modern concept that also takes into account the pluralistic and secular situation in Berlin. It will also follow a global historical perspective enabling it to expand its horizons beyond Europe and the western world. This can be seen in particular in the focus on theological anthropology, the construction of man from a Christian and theological perspective. Interdisciplinary collaboration is particularly important. Since many ethical issues nowadays are in the field of life sciences such as those linked to reproductive medicine, the latest developments in brain research and gene therapy, the Professor of Theological Ethics should research and teach in close collaboration with representatives of these sciences.
Author: Ljiljana Nikolic