18 June 2024, 6-7.30pm: VDTR Public Lecture mit Denis S. Kulandaisamy (Rome)

A hand holding a paper in the shape of a speech bubble against the sky.

The Art of “Storytelling”: The role of Narrative Criticism in Biblical Hermeneutics. A case study of John 2:1-12.
A narrative is “any work of literature that tells a story.” We use narratives in conversations to communicate aspects of life that can’t be conveyed otherwise. The Gospels are “stories” read in various ways, with narrative criticism being crucial for revealing the linguistic techniques of the Gospel writers. This lecture will explore narrative criticism, covering features like “narrative events,” “characters,” “settings,” “point of view,” “narration,” “irony,” and “symbolism.” It will also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this method, using John 2:1-12 (Wedding at Cana) as a case study.

Professor Denis Sahayaraj Kulandaisamy is a member of the Order of Servants of Mary (Servites). He holds a Doctorate in Theology and a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from Rome and has served as the President of the "Marianum" Pontifical Faculty of Theology since 2012. He is a counsellor for the Pontifical International Marian Academy and a member of the Preparatory Commission for the 2023 Synod of Bishops. Additionally, he teaches Biblical Exegesis and Mariology at several Pontifical institutions in Rome and has published extensively on New Testament Exegesis and Mariology.

The lecture will take place in HS1, 5th floor, Schenkenstraße 8-10, 1010 Wien.

10. April 2024: VDTR Public Lecture mit Kristina Stoeckl (Rom)

Die christliche Rechte in Europa: Inhalte, Akteure und transnationale Verknüpfungen

Kristina Stoeckl, Professorin für Soziologie an der LUISS in Rom und SAB-Mitglied der VDTR, forscht seit 2016 zu christlich-konservativen Gruppen in Europa und deren Verbindungen nach Russland und in die USA. Ihr Buch (gemeinsam mit Dmitry Uzlaner) The Moralist International. Russia in the Global Culture Wars (Fordham 2022) dokumentiert die Entstehung einer „christlichen Rechten“ im orthodoxen Kontext und analysiert die Inhalte und wichtigsten Akteure der Bewegung. Mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine seit 2022 hat sich der Konflikt rund um „traditionelle Werte gegen den liberalen Westen“ verschärft. Was bedeutet die russische Militarisierung der „culture wars“ für Zivilgesellschaft, Politik und Kirchen innerhalb der EU?

Zeit: 17.00 – 18.30h

Ort: Dekanatssitzungssaal der Katholisch-theologischen Fakultät, Universitätsring 1, Stiege 8, 2.Stock

Listen to Kristina Stöckl talk about her topic on the "Diesseits von Eden" Podcast (in German).

18. April 2024: Book presentation and panel discussion

To mark the launch of his new book, VDTR PhD candidate and United Methodist pastor Reverend J.J. Warren invites a range of people to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that a global pandemic presents for contemporary church life. While JJ explores questions of building community online, sharing his own experiences and those of his interviewees, the panel discussion with invited guests will focus on how church communities can be inclusive across the digital divide, inviting different perspectives - such as gender and disability - and denominations into the conversation. The event marks the launch of a new presentation format in which we seek to give the research of our doctoral students the spotlight it deserves.

Time: 5.30 - 8pm

Place: Dekanatssitzungssaal der Katholisch-theologischen Fakultät, Universitätsring 1, Stiege 8, 2.Stock.