Volume 28, Issue 1

Among the different images of community, some groups understand themselves in terms of family. This article explores the concept of found family within an ecclesial community. Braithwaite et al.’s four-part typology of voluntary kin provided the grounding for my new interview tool: The Experiences of the Church as Family research tool. This tool can aid in the exploration of church members’ experiences and desires for familial ties within their ecclesial communities. In this article, I outline the tool’s development, provide an example of its application, and present possibilities for future research in congregational contexts in addition to the tool’s potential use in ministry.

In the post-secular societies of Scandinavia and Great Britain, Christian denominations have had to reconstruct their identities as educational agents. This article focuses on the Church of England and the Church of Sweden, and their changed self-identification as expressed in their educational policy documents. Whereas the Church of England’s discourses are of partnership and business competition, the Church of Sweden’s discourses are about the Apocalypse and external threats. These approaches are analysed using Habermas’s concept of religion, identifying a transformation of religious language into secular argumentation to become viable in the secular public space. The question posed is: “Is theology exerting less influence over education in Scandinavia and Great Britain?”

Many liturgies depend on speech. But how do those autistic people who do not speak, or speak only minimally, participate in liturgy? This article addresses how eight non- or minimally-speaking autistic people experience liturgy. Having used a range of methods for data collection, we identified two key themes in the data: the desire for (1) liturgical and (2) social participation. We interpret these findings in light of speech-act theory. We propose that conventions around what is interpreted as meaningful communication or prayer are socially constructed and can be shaped to take account of the contribution made by non- or minimally-speaking worshippers.

This study consists of seven in-depth-interviews about antecedents and consequences of grace experiences analyzed by CQR. Results indicated that situations of difficulty can provide fertile ground for experiencing grace. Opening up in being and doing were considered to be helpful to recognize and actively receive grace. Participants reported growing closer to themselves, others/the Other and life itself. Through cross-analysis a cluster of circular dynamics emerged encompassing virtues serving as interlinking facilitators regarding the giving and receiving of grace in daily life. This study also suggests that grace experiences may be linked with personal growth processes related to meaning making and virtue- and character development.

In the following article, I address the question of whether an anthropological shift has taken place in Catholic religious education after the Second Vatican Council. Based on the special case of political religious education/catechesis of liberation I exemplify such a shift by means of three exemplary “crystallization points”: The International Catechetical Study Week in Medellín, the European Catechetical Equips (Équipe Européenne de Catéchèse), and the German-Italian exchange meetings. Through these case studies, I illustrate transnational processes of reception and internationalization of religious education.

The study deals with the difficulties and challenges being faced by the practice of baptism in contemporary secular society. Based on empirical research on the practice of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, the author argues for an open, inviting, communicative, and responsible practice of baptism that does not erase present tensions but deals with them creatively and situationally. The Church should take seriously the basic inclusive impulse of the Gospel while being aware of its baptismal responsibility, which consists primarily in the subsequent pastoral care of the baptised. The results of the study may inspire those who are involved in the pastoral ministry in similar contexts.

This paper explores historical and recent developments in Finnish Practical Theology and Religious Education. It reconstructs the operating environment under which PT and RE exist in Finland, i. e. its political, economic, and cultural circumstances. To this end, the authors highlight developments such as the transition from a rural-centric to an urban society, the impact of political left-wing ideology, and the impact of Finland’s joining the European Union. Through an analysis of dissertation research at Helsinki University, the paper provides an overview of current topics of research in Finnish PT. The authors concluds with insights into likely future developments in the 21st century.

The article discusses the significance of international discourse on ecumenical formation for debates about the future of religious education in diverse environments, both from a German and global perspective. It emphasizes the historical importance of education in the ecumenical movement, tracing back to the early pioneers with a background in the World Student Christian Fellowship. The author draws from his longstanding involvement in international ecumenical work on education to advocate for ecumenical formation for students of theology, including those training to be religious education teachers. The article surveys key policy documents from German and international church bodies and concludes with six essential learnings for theological education in post-confessional environments.