Theologische Anstöße – serie

Die Theologiegeschichte hat eine Fülle heterogener Erlösungsvorstellungen hervorgebracht. Mithilfe eines modelltheoretischen Verfahrens können diese Hoffnungsartikulationen differenziert und analysiert werden. Die vorliegende Studie legt dafür die methodischen Grundlagen und führt für zentrale Modelle christlicher Eschatologie eine Modellanalyse durch. Den Ausgangspunkt bildet das Werk Karl Barths, in dem fünf Modelle angelegt sind. Die identifizierten Modelle werden auf ihre Konstruktionslogik untersucht und auf ihre sozialethische und kulturhermeneutische Validität hin überprüft. Damit zeigt sich nicht nur die Orientierungsleistung christlicher Erlösungshoffnungen, sondern auch das Potenzial von Karl Barths Theologie als Ausgangspunkt für konstruktive Remodellierungen der Eschatologie.

The encyclopaedic aspect of Barth's theology, i.e. its claim to include dogmatics in all other disciplines, has rarely been reflected in research. This can come as a surprise, given that theology today is in a precarious position in terms of its unity and the mutual relationship of its sub-disciplines. Due to the increasing "subject science" the subjects are becoming more and more distant from each other. Cross-disciplinary efforts for the unity of theology are not often made, but are essential, also for the sake of church and religious practice. Karl Barth linked his Christocentric theology of revelation to the claim of a genuinely theological connection between the theological subjects, which is based neither on a uniform philosophical reference paradigm nor on a specific concept of religion. The articles in the volume consider the frequently criticized weaknesses of this approach, but also its strengths, specifically with regard to contemporary theology.

In this volume, the contributions analyze diverse apocalyptic phenomena, religious and secular alike. The authors use the category of entanglements in order to demonstrate that the terms “religious” and “secular” remain ideal type abstractions, which dissolve upon a closer empirical look. They converge on the assumption that apocalypse as literature genre and lens of interpretation either leads towards emancipation or totalitarian control. The role of apocalypse in the advance of modernity is analyzed and how the once religious concept changes through secularization and adaptation by various movements on the political spectrum. The main goal is to achieve mutual appreciation by both religious and secular actors alike, who seek to enhance the common good. Both the church and secular society must humbly recognize that each needs the other. The church must recover its apocalyptic roots and the secular society admit its limitations.