The VDTR Board

The   School is headed by a Board of Directors made up of three members. Each of the applicant units - the Faculty of Protestant Theology, the Faculty of Catholic Theology and the Research Centre Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society - sends one person to the School board. The role of overall leader is passed on within this tripartite body every two years.

The Board of Directors represents the VDTR externally, decides on the admission of doctoral students to the School and awards scholarships. The Board also ensures that the habilitated members of the VDTR comply with the general rules of the university and the Code of Good Practice. In the event of conflicts, the Board suggests measures and processes for conflict resolution.

The current Board of Directors is composed of Prof. Dr. Christian Danz (ETF, Director), associate Prof. Dr. Dr. Esther Heinrich-Ramharter (RaT, Deputy Director) and Prof. Dr. Markus Tiwald (KTF, Deputy Director).

Prof. Dr. Christian Danz (Director)

Christian Danz is Professor of Systematic Theology AB and Deputy Director of the Vienna Doctoral School of Theology and Research on Religion.

His main research interests are:

  • Fundamental Theology
  • Dogmatics (doctrine of God, Christology, Pneumatology)
  • Reformation theology
  • History of theology in the 19th and 20th centuries
  • Ethics (human rights)
  • Theology of religions
  • Philosophy of religion

Assoz. Prof. Dr. Dr. Esther Heinrich-Ramharter (Deputy Director)

Esther Heinrich-Ramharter is a philosopher and mathematician and Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Vienna. She is deputy director of the VDTR and deputy spokesperson of the research centre "Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society RaT" at the University of Vienna.

Her main research interests are:

  • The role of religion in the thought of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Simone Weil
  • The numerous connections between philosophy and the Bible
  • The role of religion in the context of the Wiener Kreis
  • Contemporary works on the philosophy of religion

Prof. Dr. Markus Tiwald (Deputy Director)

Markus Tiwald is Professor of New Testament Studies and Deputy Director of the VDTR. He was its founding director from 01.07.21 until 30.09.23.

His main research interests are:

  • The parting of the ways between Judaism and Christianity.
  • Jewish-Christian dialogue
  • Contextualizing the theology of Jesus and Paul in early Judaism
  • Questioning the origins of Christianity and the "historical" Jesus
  • Theology of Paul and the Q source ("Logienquelle")