Research Group Theology in a Postmodern Context - Aim

On October 1, 2000, the Research Group 'Theology in a Postmodern Context' was established on the initiative of prof. dr. Lieven Boeve within the Research Unit of Systematic Theology of the Faculty of Theology at the KU Leuven. Its aim is to engage, from a fundamental theological perspective, with the challenges posed by the present context of plurality and difference, and to consider its consequences for Christian faith. The research of the group pursues a double line, a cultural-theological and a philosophical-theological one.

On the cultural-theological line, research is conducted on the state of religious experience, paradigms of tradition development, the method of contemporary theological hermeneutics, the impact of gender studies on theological reflection, literature and theology, the renewal of political theology, etc. The philosophical-theological line concerns the border questions between contemporary, continental philosophy and fundamental theology. In this regard, research is conducted into the theological turn of French phenomenology, deconstruction and hermeneutics as well as recent philosophical interpretations of Christianity (in particular of Christology). In this respect, the focus is on the question of how theological truth claims are related to the particularity of history.

Projects which deal with this latter question and study how in past and present theological truth has been and is determined are carried out in collaboration with the research groups, headed respectively by prof. dr. Mathijs Lamberigts (Church History) and prof. dr. Terrence Merrigan (Systematic Theology); and are clustered under the title 'The Normativity of History'.

Moreover, in 2007, a university consultative group with colleague-researchers from other faculties for the study of the relationship between science and (Christian) religion was established through the initiative of the Research Group.