Contact
Institute for Religion and Society
Prof. Dr. Isolde Karle
Director of the Institute for Religion and Society
Chair of Practical Theology
Universitätsstr. 150
Building GA South 7/59
D - 44780 Bochum
Phone: +49 234 / 32-28399
Fax: +49 234 / 32-14398
email
Office opening hours:
Mo, Tue und Thu, 8am - 12am
We, 8am - 15pm
Archive
© RUB, Marquard
Religion is not simply a concern of the individual, but it has cultural and public aspects as well. With this in mind, the Institute has as its focus the interdisciplinary study of the relationship between religion and society.
The Institute organises and runs symposiums and workshops with researchers from Germany and abroad, as well as offering additional activities in all semesters fostering in-depth exchange between both students and researchers. The main emphasis in all of this is on questions of religious research: What is the role of religion in modern society? What part do the churches play in and for religious communication? How is the relationship between church and non-church religiosity to be understood? What relevance and impact does a church and/or religious presence have in secular places and contexts? And, what are we to understand by spirituality in intercultural or even interreligious “spiritual care”, such as is currently seen emerging in a number of contexts?
A further focus of the Institute is on the analysis of society. The aim here is to take a precise and detailed look at the structure of modern society, its specific dynamics and challenges, and, in this context, at the benefits and demands of modern, individual life choices (gender, sexuality, corporality, love, family), in order to arrive at a realistic practical-theology and socio-ethical orientation. Only then is it possible to resolve the question as to what role religion and church play and/or can play in culture and society and, more specifically, for modern individuals in their life choices and management.
