TY - JOUR

T1 - Freedom in church and freedom in society in German theology

AU - Ringshausen, G.

PY - 2011/8/1

Y1 - 2011/8/1

N2 - Freedom is a keyword of modern times but a controversial one in different correlations. Theological understanding might bridge the gap between Church and society, between a Pauline and a Lutheran tradition, and with modern secular thinking too. This article reflects some concepts of Liberal theology, of Wolfgang Huber and of Karl Barth. It argues that these responses to the modern challenge do not realize sufficiently differences in the foundations of individual freedom in society and of Christian freedom in Church. The way modern man sees himself and his quest for authenticity forms the constitution and the intention of being free. It also opens the way to a reali-sation of freedom in accordance with the legal conditions given by a ruling power. But the understanding of the theologian emphasizes that freedom is a free gift of God to a humanity constrained by sin. Both understandings have different conditions and it must be the task of theology to differentiate between these. The liberal position insists that the individual must be free of such conditions in matters of academic freedom and research. But is 'presupposition-lessness' the reality of academic life or simply an ideal? Modern historiography shows that the methods of research are bound to a concept of history which presents a closely connected unity. The atheistic implications of this also limit the work of historians. In short, we cannot overcome the plurality of interpretations and understandings which arise before us. The question of truth has fundamentally to remain 'relativistisch offen'.

AB - Freedom is a keyword of modern times but a controversial one in different correlations. Theological understanding might bridge the gap between Church and society, between a Pauline and a Lutheran tradition, and with modern secular thinking too. This article reflects some concepts of Liberal theology, of Wolfgang Huber and of Karl Barth. It argues that these responses to the modern challenge do not realize sufficiently differences in the foundations of individual freedom in society and of Christian freedom in Church. The way modern man sees himself and his quest for authenticity forms the constitution and the intention of being free. It also opens the way to a reali-sation of freedom in accordance with the legal conditions given by a ruling power. But the understanding of the theologian emphasizes that freedom is a free gift of God to a humanity constrained by sin. Both understandings have different conditions and it must be the task of theology to differentiate between these. The liberal position insists that the individual must be free of such conditions in matters of academic freedom and research. But is 'presupposition-lessness' the reality of academic life or simply an ideal? Modern historiography shows that the methods of research are bound to a concept of history which presents a closely connected unity. The atheistic implications of this also limit the work of historians. In short, we cannot overcome the plurality of interpretations and understandings which arise before us. The question of truth has fundamentally to remain 'relativistisch offen'.

KW - Theology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888192974&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.13109/kize.2011.24.1.146

DO - 10.13109/kize.2011.24.1.146

M3 - Scientific review articles

AN - SCOPUS:84888192974

VL - 24

SP - 146

EP - 168

JO - Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte

JF - Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte

SN - 0932-9951

IS - 1

ER -