Catholic Convention: Invitation to Open Air Lectures by Cluster of Excellence

Short lectures and discussions on religious policy, religions and violence

At the 101st German Catholic Convention in Münster, the University of Münster’s Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” will present short lectures and discussions in an open-air lecture theatre. The morning programme will deal with the relationship of world religions and violence in the past and present, while the afternoon programme will deal with religious policy today. On Saturday, 12 May, from 11 am to 6 pm, on the open stage in front of Fürstenberghaus (Domplatz 20-22), eleven researchers will engage in debate with representatives from politics, religious and philosophical communities and with the audience. Expected guests are, for example, Bavarian minister of the interior Joachim Herrmann from the Christian Social Union, Green politician Volker Beck, the president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) Thomas Sternberg and Rabbi Walter Homolka, chairman of the Union of Progressive Jews in Germany.

Aiman A. Mazyek, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, and Michael Bauer of the Humanist Association of Bavaria will discuss the question of a need for reform in religious policy. From the Cluster of Excellence, representatives of political science, law, history and theology will speak. Their discussion will focus on how the growing diversity of religions in Germany can be shaped politically, legally and socially in future so that majorities and minorities may live together in peace. In the morning, other researchers will report on their Islamic, religious or literary studies regarding the relationship Christianity, Islam and Buddhism have to violence. Their lectures address violence in the Old Testament, Islam and war, figures of hatred in literature and other issues. (vvm)

Programme

Open air lecture theatre at the 101st Catholic Convention in Münster on Saturday, 12 May 2018 from 11 am to 6 pm,
at the forecourt of Fürstenberghaus, Domplatz 20-22

11.00-2.30	Religions, peace and violence in the past and present
11.00-11.30	“Gewalt im Alten Testament” (violence in the Old Testament) Prof. Dr. Johannes Schnocks, Catholic theologian of the Cluster of Excellence, Münster
11.35-12.05	“Figuren des Hasses in der Literatur” (figures of hatred in literature) Prof. Dr. Martina Wagner-Egelhaaf, literary scholar of the Cluster of Excellence, Münster
12.10-12.40	“Dämonisierung des religiös Anderen im Buddhismus” (demonisation of the religious other in Buddhism) Prof. Dr. Perry Schmidt-Leukel, scholar of religious studies of the Cluster of Excellence, Münster
12.45-1.15	“Gewalt im Koran” (violence in the Koran) Prof. Dr. Mouhanad Khorchide, Islamic theologian of the Cluster of Excellence, Münster
1.20-1.50	“Islam und Krieg” (Islam and war) Prof. Dr. Thomas Bauer, Arabist and Islamic scholar of the Cluster of Excellence, Münster
1.55-2.25	“Kirche und Gewalt in Lateinamerika” (the church and violence in Latin America) Prof. Dr. Silke Hensel, Historikerin des Exzellenzclusters, Münster
2.30-3.30	Discussion: Reform pressure in religious policy? The positions of political parties
	Volker Beck, CERES lecturer, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Alliance 90/The Greens, Berlin Joachim Herrmann, Bavarian Minister of the Interior, for Construction and Transport, Christian Social Union, Munich Prof. Dr. Ulrich Willems, political scientist of the Cluster of Excellence Prof. Dr. Hinnerk Wißmann, legal scholar of the Cluster of Excellence
3.30-4.30	Discussion: Reform pressure in religious policy? The positions of religious and philosophical communities
	Michael Bauer, Chairman of the Humanistic Association of Germany – Bavaria, Nuremberg Rabbi Prof Dr. Walter Homolka, Chairman of the Union of Progressive Jews in Germany, KdöR, Potsdam Aiman A. Mazyek, Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Cologne Prof. Dr. Thomas Sternberg, President of the Central Committee of German Catholics, Münster Prof. Dr. Thomas Großbölting, contemporary historian of the Cluster of Excellence
4.45-5.45	Current research results on religious policy
	Prof. Dr. Thomas Großbölting, contemporary historian of the Cluster of Excellence Prof. Dr. Marianne Heimbach-Steins, Catholic theologian of the Cluster of Excellence Prof. Dr. Fabian Wittreck, legal scholar of the Cluster of Excellence Prof. Dr. Ulrich Willems, political scientist of the Cluster of Excellence Presentation: Viola van Melis, Head of the Centre for Research Communication of the Cluster of Excellence Joachim Frank, Chief Correspondent of DuMont Mediengruppe, specialising in churches and religion