Who Owns Religion? An interdisciplinary inquiry into the authority over spiritual life and religious teaching

Content

The course is organised around academic inputs from scholars researching different aspects of religion. The module includes three major thematic blocks

1.Who owns theology: · Who is responsible for the production of theological knowledge · Contextual and Intercultural Theology: the transformation of the idea of religious authority.

2. Who owns academic study of religion: · “World Religions” vs. “Cults”: contemplations on the terminology and historiography of the Study of Religions. · Authority of sources: the dominance of religious texts over objects and practices. · Vernacular and folk religiosity as a focus of the academic Study of Religion and Folkloristics

3. Who owns ethics: religious rhetoric and compelling societal changes · Current socio-political debates and agency of the religious groups · Religious ethics and gender debates

The Lecturers will provide input and materials for the group discussion, which would be moderated by the alumni of the Intercultural Theology programme. The alumni will also provide inputs on the topics of their professional and academic interest, such as

• Carla Suzana Kruger (Brazil) “Theologies and the indigenous ideas of the ownership of land”
• Blessen George Babu (India) “The Sacred Lotus: Transcending the Boundaries of Heterogeneous Cultural Identities”
• Elena Romashko (Belarus) “Transformations of the vernacular religion in Belarus after Chernobyl”
• Adolph van der Walt (South Africa) “Ritual smoking in South Africa: religion, ethics and public health ”
• Xinyue Zhang (China) “Eating as Intercultural Theology”, etc.

Learning outcomes

After the programme students will be able to

• articulate and address critical issues of contemporary global religious processes and transformations.
• critically reflect on personal religious views and the role of the cultural context in them.
• capable to work effectively and respectfully across diverse theologies (incl. theologies of the Global South) and religious ethics with the representatives of other religions and denominations.
• develop communicative strategies in situations of disagreement and resolve conflicts in multicultural settings

Programme

The course will start with a 10-day intensive programme in Göttingen that will be followed by a digital part spread over 5 more weeks.

During the time in Göttingen students will be able to get to know one another and attend open lectures and engage in the small group activities and excursions.

After the physical mobility students will continue working on their digital portfolios that they start in Göttingen and engage with each other and the group leaders (Intercultural Theology alumni) through the university platform. All the participants will get access to the multimedia files and guiding questions to engage with at the self-pace format. 

The course evaluation is done through a submission of the digital reflective portfolio.

Assessment

Portfolio

Lecturers

• Prof. Dr. Andreas Grünschloß

• Prof. Dr. Alexander-Kenneth Nagel

• PD Dr Fritz Heinrich

• Prof. Dr. Ülo Valk

• Prof. Dr. Anne Kull

• Prof. Dr. Brian Palmer

Send your application by Feb 15, 2023 to Blessen Babu This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., it will be then forwarded to the ENLIGHT partners and the mobility office of your university.

Application documents:

CV and short statement of your interest in the programme (max. ½ page)

Selected ENLIGHT-participants are eligible for a scholarship that covers travel, lunches and accommodation costs. Students who did not participate in study exchanges before and did not spend time abroad have a priority for the scholarship.

 

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Elena Romashko

University of Goettingen