The Doctoral Studies Programme 60 "Theological Studies and Research on Religion"

The directors and vice-directors of the doctoral studies programme 60 are the contact persons for central study law agendas during the doctoral studies. They decide, for example, on the conditions for admission to the programme, the approval of the dissertation topic and supervisors, the approval of the dissertation agreement, etc. They perform this function on behalf of the Office of the Dean of Studies, who has delegated part of his agenda to the programme directors as the body responsible for study law.

Directorate of Doctoral Studies

Prof. Dr. Christian Danz (DSPL)

Christian Danz is Professor of Systematic Theology AB and Director of the Vienna Doctoral School of Theology and Research on Religion as well as Head of the DSPL 60. 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

Prof. Dr. Hans-Juergen Feulner

Hans-Juergen Feulner is University Professor of Liturgical Science and Sacramental Theology at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Vienna and Vice-DSPL of the DSPL60.

Prof. Dr. Markus Tiwald

Markus Tiwald is Professor of New Testament and Deputy Director of the Vienna Doctoral School of Theology and Research on Religion VDTR and Vice-DSPL of DSPL 60. He was the founding director of VDTR from 01.07.2021 - 30.09.2023.

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")

Assoz.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Esther Heinrich-Ramharter

Esther Heinrich-Ramharter is a philosopher and mathematician and Associate Professor at the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Vienna. She is Deputy Director of the VDTR and Vice-DSPL of DSPL 60.

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

The study conference of the DSPL 60

The study conference is the advisory body of the directorate of studies. Half of the members are delegated by the students and the other half are appointed by the lecturers. Thus, in addition to their representation in the Senate and the faculty conferences, students are also involved in the quality assurance of teaching and in the organisation of studies and teaching via the study conferences. In order to cover the curricular diversity of the DSPL 60, the DSPL has set up a study conference with 12 members. The exact tasks of the Study Conference are set out in the organisation plan of the University of Vienna (§ 14).

Doctoral Advisory Board

Doctoral advisory boards provide guidance to the Dean of Studies, the doctoral studies programme director, doctoral students and supervisors. A doctoral advisory board is responsible for one or more dissertation areas or a larger sub-area of a dissertation area in a curriculum. The function and appointment of the doctoral advisory boards is regulated in the statutes of the University of Vienna (§ 15 (7)). The doctoral advisory boards play a particularly important role in the public presentations (FÖP). The doctoral advisory boards responsible for the subject may comment on a submitted dissertation project.