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"The University of Erfurt is the right place for me!": Professor Hildegund Keul as a guest at the Theological Research Centre

At the invitation of the Theological Research Centre, fundamental theologian Professor Hildegund Keul is coming to the University of Erfurt for four weeks in April as a fellow. She is currently conducting research at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg as part of the DFG project "Vulnerabilities. A Heterology of Incarnation in the Vulnerability Discourse" on human vulnerability. She is thus bringing an exciting perspective to Erfurt.

She even knows the Thuringian capital a little: "My first visit was just before the fall of the Wall in May 1989, when I came to Erfurt for a flying visit on my way to a German-German wedding. The city still looked very different. The saying 'Creating ruins without weapons' was doing the rounds at the time. That wasn't the whole truth, but it was part of it. Over the next few years, I was always curious to see what had changed when I worked in the diocese of Magdeburg from 1993 to 2004. Erfurt has an impressive history, which is embodied in wonderful buildings; a stimulating atmosphere, to which the river and the surrounding landscape contribute; and above all, I look forward to the people with whom I can exchange ideas and discuss exciting research questions." At the same time, Hildegund Keul comes to Erfurt with a certain degree of scepticism after the recent Thuringian election results: "I look at the political developments with concern. Because I consider our democracy to be very valuable and see it jeopardised by right-wing populist parties. From a Christian perspective, it is also important to me that democracy best preserves human dignity, including that of the 'poor and oppressed of all kinds' (Second Vatican Council). It is a good sign that the Catholic dioceses of eastern Germany and the German Bishops' Conference have taken such a clear stance against right-wing extremism."

For the theologian, her research topic of "vulnerability" is, as she says herself, a "great" one. "Because it is relevant in all human contexts. "I'm just finishing my second research phase and am already preparing for a new project on 'Vulnerability and Ritual'. The University of Erfurt is exactly the right place for me, because there is a focus on ritual research here. Looking at the power effects of vulnerability is a new perspective for all of us. In a wonderful collaboration, we will be organising a workshop on this together, which I am very excited about."

You can read more about Professor Hildegund Keul's research in our research blog "WortMelder" (in German only).

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