Judith Gruber – författare

Recent years have seen a paradigm shift in Christian self-understanding. In place of the eurocentric model of »Christendom«, a new understanding is emerging of Christianity as a world movement with considerable cultural variety. Concomitant with this changing self-perception, a new theological discipline begins to take shape which analyzes the inter- and transcultural character and performance of global Christianity: Intercultural Theology.Judith Gruber discusses this nascent theological approach in two parts. She first gives a critical analysis of its historical development – in the first part of the book, two theological sub-disciplines of particular relevance are analysed: (1) missiology and its reflection on the encounter of Western Christianity with other cultures in the context of colonialism; (2) contextual theologies which focus on the particularity and dignity of the diverse cultural contexts of theological practice, but fail to sufficiently integrate the universal dimension of Christianity into their theological reflections.Secondly, this study offers a constructive theological approach to intercultural theology. It does that by bringing systematic theology into conversation with cultural studies. This interdisciplinary approach adds significant complexity to existing reflections on Intercultural Theology: Re-reading the theological history of Christianity within the critical framework of cultural theories exposes a host of disparate and conflictive Christianities underneath its dominant master narrative, and, moreover, it no longer allows a recourse to essentialist concepts of Christian identity, with which previous approaches to Intercultural Theology have mitigated this unsettling cultural plurality of Christianity: After the »Cultural Turn«, which has made a metaphysical epistemology untenable, new ways for thinking the unity and universality of Christianity have to be paved. The book draws on Paul Ricoeur''s and Michel Foucault''s concept of the event and on Michel deCerteau''s proposal of a »Weak Christianity« in order to develop such a post-metaphysical framework, which allows to conceive of the unity and universality of Christianity without concealing its cultural plurality and contingency.

Controlling Bureaucracies: Dilemmas in Democratic Governance offers a deep dive into the challenges and complexities of reconciling democratic ideals with the increasing influence of bureaucratic institutions. This book critically examines how modern democracies can maintain accountability and public control over unelected bureaucrats who wield significant power in shaping public policy. With vivid examples and rigorous analysis, the text explores the tension between the efficiency of bureaucracies and the democratic principle of government by the people. From the delegation of decision-making power to mechanisms for oversight and accountability, the book outlines the evolving strategies for achieving democratic control in an age of sprawling administrative structures.Key themes include the rise of bureaucratic autonomy, the challenges of aligning bureaucratic actions with public expectations, and the need for innovative approaches to governance. Through interdisciplinary insights, the author addresses the broader implications of these dynamics for democratic theory and practice. Whether analyzing historical developments or proposing frameworks for contemporary governance, Controlling Bureaucracies is an essential resource for policymakers, scholars, and anyone concerned with the future of democracy in a bureaucratized world.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1987.

Controlling Bureaucracies: Dilemmas in Democratic Governance offers a deep dive into the challenges and complexities of reconciling democratic ideals with the increasing influence of bureaucratic institutions. This book critically examines how modern democracies can maintain accountability and public control over unelected bureaucrats who wield significant power in shaping public policy. With vivid examples and rigorous analysis, the text explores the tension between the efficiency of bureaucracies and the democratic principle of government by the people. From the delegation of decision-making power to mechanisms for oversight and accountability, the book outlines the evolving strategies for achieving democratic control in an age of sprawling administrative structures. Key themes include the rise of bureaucratic autonomy, the challenges of aligning bureaucratic actions with public expectations, and the need for innovative approaches to governance. Through interdisciplinary insights, the author addresses the broader implications of these dynamics for democratic theory and practice. Whether analyzing historical developments or proposing frameworks for contemporary governance, Controlling Bureaucracies is an essential resource for policymakers, scholars, and anyone concerned with the future of democracy in a bureaucratized world. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1987.

Controlling Bureaucracies: Dilemmas in Democratic Governance offers a deep dive into the challenges and complexities of reconciling democratic ideals with the increasing influence of bureaucratic institutions. This book critically examines how modern democracies can maintain accountability and public control over unelected bureaucrats who wield significant power in shaping public policy. With vivid examples and rigorous analysis, the text explores the tension between the efficiency of bureaucracies and the democratic principle of government by the people. From the delegation of decision-making power to mechanisms for oversight and accountability, the book outlines the evolving strategies for achieving democratic control in an age of sprawling administrative structures.Key themes include the rise of bureaucratic autonomy, the challenges of aligning bureaucratic actions with public expectations, and the need for innovative approaches to governance. Through interdisciplinary insights, the author addresses the broader implications of these dynamics for democratic theory and practice. Whether analyzing historical developments or proposing frameworks for contemporary governance, Controlling Bureaucracies is an essential resource for policymakers, scholars, and anyone concerned with the future of democracy in a bureaucratized world.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1987.

This project offers an original contribution to the interpretation of the documents of the Second Vatican Council that constitute the most authoritative doctrinal teaching within the Catholic Church. The chapters in this volume, published during the 60th anniversary of the Council (2022-2025), discuss three types of stumbling blocks: ‘Stumbling Blocks for Ecumenism’, ‘Stumbling Blocks for Interfaith Dialogue,’ and ‘Stumbling Blocks for Church-world Relations’. Eight specialists of ecclesiology, comparative theology, intercultural theology, and theological ethics have each written chapters on a selected line of Vatican II that constitutes a ‘stumbling block’ or ‘hard saying’ for believers and theologians today. The views expressed in these chapters have been discussed in three response essays. The stumbling blocks have been selected from Lumen Gentium, Unitatis Redintegratio, Nostra Aetate, and Gaudium et Spes. The selected lines discuss the difficulties the Catholic Church has with atheism and with the Eucharist as celebrated by Protestant ministers; how appreciation of other churches and religions goes hand in hand with defending the need of mission; and why the Council assigns different roles to priests and laity, making a distinction between the holiness of the Church and the sinfulness of its believers.

This project offers an original contribution to the interpretation of the documents of the Second Vatican Council that constitute the most authoritative doctrinal teaching within the Catholic Church. The chapters in this volume, published during the 60th anniversary of the Council (2022-2025), discuss three types of stumbling blocks: ‘Stumbling Blocks for Ecumenism’, ‘Stumbling Blocks for Interfaith Dialogue,’ and ‘Stumbling Blocks for Church-world Relations’. Eight specialists of ecclesiology, comparative theology, intercultural theology, and theological ethics have each written chapters on a selected line of Vatican II that constitutes a ‘stumbling block’ or ‘hard saying’ for believers and theologians today. The views expressed in these chapters have been discussed in three response essays. The stumbling blocks have been selected from Lumen Gentium, Unitatis Redintegratio, Nostra Aetate, and Gaudium et Spes. The selected lines discuss the difficulties the Catholic Church has with atheism and with the Eucharist as celebrated by Protestant ministers; how appreciation of other churches and religions goes hand in hand with defending the need of mission; and why the Council assigns different roles to priests and laity, making a distinction between the holiness of the Church and the sinfulness of its believers.

​This book challenges the prevailing notion of stability, cohesiveness, and uniformity within Christian communities, inviting readers to view contestation and disagreement as integral to theological reflection and church identity. While the volume focuses predominantly on the Roman Catholic Church as a case study, various chapters broaden the exploration across other Christian and non-Christian traditions. Beginning with the philosophical and theological foundations of conflict, contestation, and community, the book subsequently focuses on four main conflict fields: liturgy, canon law, gender, and sexuality, as well as race and postcolonial critical theory. The book finishes with a constructive proposal on how to think theologically about identity and antagonisms, as well as how to construct an ecclesiology of dissent. Contributors employ diverse methodological perspectives to offer constructive theological reflections, enhancing both understanding and practice of theology in the context of polarised public debates.This is an open access book.

​This book challenges the prevailing notion of stability, cohesiveness, and uniformity within Christian communities, inviting readers to view contestation and disagreement as integral to theological reflection and church identity. While the volume focuses predominantly on the Roman Catholic Church as a case study, various chapters broaden the exploration across other Christian and non-Christian traditions. Beginning with the philosophical and theological foundations of conflict, contestation, and community, the book subsequently focuses on four main conflict fields: liturgy, canon law, gender, and sexuality, as well as race and postcolonial critical theory. The book finishes with a constructive proposal on how to think theologically about identity and antagonisms, as well as how to construct an ecclesiology of dissent. Contributors employ diverse methodological perspectives to offer constructive theological reflections, enhancing both understanding and practice of theology in the context of polarised public debates.This is an open access book.

Wie lässt sich der christliche Einheits- und Universalitätsanspruch angesichts der faktischen Pluralität partikularer Theologien normativ begründen? Das Projekt, Theologie interkulturell zu betreiben, sucht Antworten auf diese Frage: mit der fundamentaltheologischen Verhältnisbestimmung von der Partikularität und Universalität des Evangeliums, von Einheit und Differenzen in Theologien, von Normativität und Kontingenz christlicher Gottesreden. Gruber stellt zunächst in historischen Skizzen den Weg zur interkulturellen Theologie dar, um dann eine fundamentaltheologische Interpretation im Rahmen einer Theologie nach dem Cultural Turn zu entwerfen: Interkulturalität, postkolonial als Raum der Differenz und Raum der Absenz entworfen, wird zu einer theologischen Ressource.

Wie lässt sich der christliche Einheits- und Universalitätsanspruch angesichts der faktischen Pluralität partikularer Theologien normativ begründen? Das Projekt, Theologie interkulturell zu betreiben, sucht Antworten auf diese Frage: mit der fundamentaltheologischen Verhältnisbestimmung von der Partikularität und Universalität des Evangeliums, von Einheit und Differenzen in Theologien, von Normativität und Kontingenz christlicher Gottesreden. Gruber stellt zunächst in historischen Skizzen den Weg zur interkulturellen Theologie dar, um dann eine fundamentaltheologische Interpretation im Rahmen einer Theologie nach dem Cultural Turn zu entwerfen: Interkulturalität, postkolonial als Raum der Differenz und Raum der Absenz entworfen, wird zu einer theologischen Ressource.

Der Paradigmenwechsel des Cultural Turn verändert religiöse Wissensformen und stellt Theologie unter einen veränderten Theoriedruck. Zur Debatte stehen damit neue erkenntnistheologische Fragestellungen: Wie verändert die Partikularität von Wissen die christliche Erfahrung, Verehrung und Konzeptualisierung Gottes? Wie wird die Pluralität von christlichen Traditionen vermessen – und wie verhält sich ihre Normativität zu ihrer Kontingenz? In welchen Räumen eröffnen sich loci theologici – und wo lässt sich der christliche Universalanspruch verorten? In welchen Praktiken wird christliches Wissen verkörpert – und wie konditionieren diese Inkarnationen eine Rede von Gott? Und nicht zuletzt: Unter welchen diskursiven Voraussetzungen wird die Machtförmigkeit theologischen Wissens reflektiert?

Interkulturelle Theologie setzt sich mit den Wechselwirkungen zwischen Religion(en), Kultur(en) und Gesellschaft(en) in unterschiedlichen Regionen der Welt auseinander. Sie ist zum einen als genuin theologische Disziplin zu verstehen, entstanden aus Herausforderungen, die sich christlichen Kirchen und ihren Theologien stellten (z.B. Mission, interreligiöse Begegnungen, Kolonialismus, Genderfragen, Kirche und Politik). Zum anderen ist sie interdisziplinär ausgerichtet, wobei Kulturwissenschaften und Religionswissenschaft, regionale Studien (etwa Afrikawissenschaft, Indologie, Lateinamerikanistik), interkulturelle Philosophie sowie Global Studies und Entwicklungsforschung eine wichtige Rolle spielen.Vor diesem Hintergrund setzt sich das vorliegende Handbuch mit dem Selbstverständnis Interkultureller Theologie, mit interdisziplinären Bezügen, wissenschaftstheoretischen sowie epistemologischen Voraussetzungen, Konsequenzen und Transformationen auseinander und gibt mittels einer Reihe von Grundbegriffen Einblick in Problemstellungen und Entwicklungen interkulturell-theologischer Arbeit. Dadurch kartiert das Handbuch den aktuellen Stand Interkultureller Theologie und wirft einen Blick auf ihre Herausforderungen und Zukunftsthemen.

Interkulturelle Theologie setzt sich mit den Wechselwirkungen zwischen Religion(en), Kultur(en) und Gesellschaft(en) in unterschiedlichen Regionen der Welt auseinander. Sie ist zum einen als genuin theologische Disziplin zu verstehen, entstanden aus Herausforderungen, die sich christlichen Kirchen und ihren Theologien stellten (z.B. Mission, interreligiöse Begegnungen, Kolonialismus, Genderfragen, Kirche und Politik). Zum anderen ist sie interdisziplinär ausgerichtet, wobei Kulturwissenschaften und Religionswissenschaft, regionale Studien (etwa Afrikawissenschaft, Indologie, Lateinamerikanistik), interkulturelle Philosophie sowie Global Studies und Entwicklungsforschung eine wichtige Rolle spielen.Vor diesem Hintergrund setzt sich das vorliegende Handbuch mit dem Selbstverständnis Interkultureller Theologie, mit interdisziplinären Bezügen, wissenschaftstheoretischen sowie epistemologischen Voraussetzungen, Konsequenzen und Transformationen auseinander und gibt mittels einer Reihe von Grundbegriffen Einblick in Problemstellungen und Entwicklungen interkulturell-theologischer Arbeit. Dadurch kartiert das Handbuch den aktuellen Stand Interkultureller Theologie und wirft einen Blick auf ihre Herausforderungen und Zukunftsthemen.

Migrations are contested sites of identity negotiations: they are not simply a process of border crossings but more so of border shiftings. Rather than allowing migrants to swiftly move across stable borders from one clearly defined identity to another, migrations question and renegotiate these very identities. Migrations undermine and re-establish borders along which the identity of migrants (and also that of the supposedly settled population) are constituted, and, as a discourse, migrations serve as a contested site of negotiating identities. Migrations reveal the negotiable character of identities - and representations of migration are themselves a hotspot in contemporary identity constructions.What can theology contribute to the negotiations on migration? The contributions of this volume work towards a reading of migration as a sign of the times. Together, they offer "steps towards a theology of migration." They show that migration calls for a new way of doing. A theology that is exposed to migration as a sign of the times is drwan into the shifting, unsettling, and undermining of borders. This has impact not only on the discourse of migration, but also on the discourse of theology: it calls theology to move away from its search for well-established definitions (literally: borders) of its God-talk and to venture into new, uncharted territory. It loses its fixed, clearly defined grounds and finds itself on the way toward a renegotiation of what it means to believe in, celebrate, and reflect on YHWH - on God who is with us on the way.

Óscar Romero’s continuing legacy in various societies worldwide.On 24 March 1980, Salvadoran archbishop Óscar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass in San Salvador. During the last years of his life, Romero had become an outspoken opponent of the oppression by El Salvador’s dictatorial regime and a beacon of peace and hope in a country torn by injustice, inequality and violence. His assassination sparked global outrage and converged with a growing international awareness of the plight of Latin America. To this day, Romero continues to inspire resistance and liberation movements in Latin America and beyond, both inside and outside the Church. Bringing together perspectives from the fields of history, theology, sociology, law, and cultural studies, The Romero Memory aims to accomplish a polyphonic understanding of the archbishop’s significance. His legacy transcends Western approaches to these disciplines and encompasses religious thought and practice, human rights activism, El Salvadoran mural iconography, Hollywood film, local social institutions and international aid, as well as transitional justice.