Systematic Theology
Focus areas (research and teaching)
- Systematic Theology Transcultural in the Context of Global Christianityecumenism, (inter)religious dialogue and learning, contemporary issues (postcolonial studiesdecolonial discourses, racism, gender issues)
- Theories, theologies and philosophies of liberation, Pentecostalism in Latin America
- Reformed theology, "Reformed theologies of nature" (John Calvin, Henry David Thoreau, Marilynne Robinson)
- Dialogue between Christian theology, environmental humanities, film theory and critical racism research
- U.S. theological perspectives (Reinhold Niebuhr, James H. Cone)
Interdisciplinary
Professionalisation programme/certification programme "Transcultural interreligious studies"
Interconfessional theological working group (ITA)
DFG Network Bridging Black Freedom Struggles. German and U.S.-American Perspectives
The online lexicon Systematic Theology (SysLex) provides an introduction to dogmatic, ethical and religious-philosophical terms. SysLex provides open access to theological knowledge focussing on current problems and central lines of research.
Systematic Theology
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Nora Teichert, at https://www.peru-vision.com/de/news/nachrichten-ueber-kultur/feste/item/corpus-christi-und-inti-raymi-ein-feierlicher-kontrast-im-juni.html
Systematic theology is somewhat like the philosophy of theology: this discipline reflects on the meaning and current relevance of the Christian faith. This also includes references to non-Christian or even non-religious reflection on reality and society (in addition to philosophy, for example, in sociology or migration studies). At the Oldenburg Institute of Protestant Theology and Religious Education, this is done primarily from the perspective of the academic training of future religious education teachers, who will be something like moderators of Christian religion in their professional activity, but also contact persons for questions in society beyond the school context. To this end, it is important to perceive theology in an ecumenical context, i.e. to consider denominational plurality on the one hand and to explore the intercultural references that constitute Christianity in its worldwide contextuality on the other. Last but not least, systematic theology also reflects the Christian perspective on reality with regard to the diversity of religions.
News/ Announcements / Reports
Invitation to the get conference: Salting and lighting
The role of the church(es) in contemporary European society has undergone major upheavals. However, the situation varies greatly from country to country. The Society for Protestant Theology (get-theologie.de) will get to know the conditions in Romania today at a conference at the end of September 2026. The denominational picture here is already very different: small Protestant (minority) churches, a Catholic Church that accounts for 5 per cent of the Christian faithful and a large Orthodox majority church to which 85 per cent of the Romanian population belongs. What tasks do they have in today's Romanian society? What areas of conflict arise? Is there anything comparable to the situation of the German churches? These questions will be at the centre of the exchange between participants from Romania, Germany and other Central and Eastern European countries. The conference will take place over three full days in Cluj-Napoca (two days) and in Sibiu (one day).
More information about the conference can be found here:
(1) get Flyer: t3://file?uid=1049034
(2) Programme of the conference: t3://file?uid=1049033
Podcast ZwischenDurch&Drin
- a theological podcast for on the go by and with Prof.'in Dr'in Ulrike Sallandt.
In ZwischenDurch&DrinI speak, think and act theologically differently: Doing Theology InBetween. Beyond traditional places, I perceive theology in a new way, cross structural disciplinary boundaries and open up spaces of discourse and knowledge.
To make sure you don't miss anything, follow the Instagram channel of the Department of Systematic Theology: theoloy_inbetween
Defending Democracy.
A transatlantic master class
On 16 September 2025, a Master Class with David P. Gushee took place at Villa GeistReich. He is a professor of theological ethics at the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in Atlanta.
Together we discussed the development of Christian nationalism in the USA and explored the question of which theological traditions need to be strengthened today in order to defend and expand democratic culture.
The event took place in co-operation with the Oldenburg Baptist and Methodist congregations. On 15 September 2025, a public lecture by David P. Gushee on the topic of the Master Class took place in the Methodist Friedenskirche.
Our Institute has maintained contacts with the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in Atlanta for several years, which go back to initiatives by Andrea Strübind, Carina Branković, Ulrike Link-Wieczorek and Dominik Gautier.
The Master Class was organised by Carlotta Israel, Sandra Langhop and Dominik Gautier.
Invitation to the conference of the "Network of antisemitism and racism-critical religious education and theology" (narrt)
from 24 to 25 November 2025 in Berlin
THEOLOGIES IN RELATION. CRITICISM OF RACISM, CRITICISM OF ANTISEMITISM AND SHARED LEARNING SPACES
At a time when social tensions are increasing and trust between people, communities and state institutions has become fragile, the question also arises: How can theological concepts provide orientation, facilitate dialogue and create new connections? The conference brings together people who reflect theologically on experiences of racism and anti-Semitism and explores possible links between Black theology and criticism of anti-Semitism.
The programme and registration form can be found here: https://www.eaberlin.de/seminars/data/2025/11/theologien-in-beziehung
Note: The conference is free of charge for students.
From 06.10.2025-28.11.2025 Prof. Dr Nicolas Panotto will be a guest lecturer at our Institute.
About the person: Nicolás Panotto, Argentinean resident in Chile. Theologian and PhD in Social Sciences. Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Research and Development Agency of Chile (ANID) Founder and Director of "Otros Cruces" an organisation focused on training and advocacy with civil society on issues related to the public place of religions. Professor at the Evangelical Theological Community of Chile. Author of several books and articles in the field of Religion and Politics, Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism, Public Theology, and Postcolonial Theory/Theology.
Seminars in winter term 25/26:
- 4.07.147: Decolonial and intercultural processes in Latin American theologies! The seminar presents a postcolonial and intercultural critique of Latin American theology (with a special focus on liberation theology in its indigenous and political manifestations) based on an analysis by generation and central authors.
- Guest Lecturer: 4.07.149 After Methods. Queer grace, conceptual design and the posibility of theology
BLOCKSEMINAR: Thinking Exteriority: Philosophical Approaches to the Radical Other. Enrique Dussel and Emmanuel Lévinas.
How can we think the radical other? The student conference is dedicated to philosophical and theological perspectives on exteriority in Lévinas and Dussel - between ethics, the body, geopolitics and post/decolonial discourses.
The project is aimed at advanced Master's students and doctoral candidates. In a multi-stage format - block event, digital research phase, student conference - students will develop their own research questions and present them creatively.
The "Colonial Continuities Oldenburg" working group receives the Hanns Lilje Foundation Prize for Freedom and Responsibility
The working group, of which Dominik Gautier is also a member, is responsible for critical events on contemporary colonial thought and action - e.g. film screenings, lectures and panel discussions. Recent events have focussed on the topics of "Mission, church and colonialism" and "Colonialism and environmental racism". Events on the topics of "Colonialism, animals, plants and landscapes" and "Racism and the police" are planned for this year. The series of events also sees itself as a theological "laboratory" in which questions of power, freedom and justice are considered from a post-colonial-ecological perspective. The Hanns Lilje Foundation Prize (10,000 euros) was awarded in the field of "The future of politics and society". Of particular interest were future-orientated topics and approaches to solutions in which the church and theology are brought together with other areas of social life.
Call for information "Justice for Lorenz"
On Easter Sunday, Lorenz A. was shot dead by a police officer in the centre of Oldenburg. There is a suspicion of racist police violence. Because we see overcoming racism as a central concern of theology and the church, we are joining the call for a just investigation into this case. In co-operation with the Colonial Continuities Working Group, future events on the topic of "Police and Racism" are to take place. We support a long-term critical examination of this complex of issues.
POSTCOLONIAL THEORIES AND THEOLOGIES IN CONCRETE TERMS
As part of a co-operation between the Bündnis Koloniale Kontinuitäten and the Institute of Theology and Religious Education at the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg, three lecture/discussion events will take place from 18:00-20:00 at CineK (Bahnhofstraße) from April to June. Guests are expected to concretise postcolonial perspectives based on their own research focus and to join us in conversation afterwards.
We cordially invite all interested parties! Admission is free!
Dates:
13.05.2025 18:00-20:00 Dr Silvana Candel Lamdam (Arg/Israel)
A Dialogue from the Margins: Bridging Postcolonial Thinking and Jewish Thought in Latin American Liberation Theology
27.05.2025 18:00-20:00 h Prof. Dr Ayça Polat
Critical Talk: Migration/racism research - postcolonial critical perspective in dialogue
24.06.2025 18:00-20:00 Prof Gesa Wellmann
Marx in postcolonial discourse
"Cross and Lynching Tree" - Analucia Löschcke Centeno and Dominik Gautier on Black Theology and James H. Cone on Deutschlandfunk radio
Analucia Löschcke Centeno and Dominik Gautier were interviewed for a feature on Black Theology on Deutschlandfunk. Both research racism-critical theology, especially the theology of James H. Cone. You can listen to the programme here. "Cross and lynching tree. How Black theologians interpret the Bible" (5 March 2025, Editor: Benedikt Schulz)
We are delighted to welcome our new research assistant Analucia Löschcke Centeno to the Department of Systematic Theology. We wish Analucia a good arrival at our Institute in Oldenburg. Here you can find more information about the person.
Current publications in the department
Topoi und Netzwerke der religiösen Rechten, Bielefeld: transcript, 2025 (together with Charlotte Jacobs, Hans-Ulrich Probst and Karoline Ritter).
The ambivalence of realism. Reinhold Niebuhr's theological ethics in a perspective critical of racism. (Christentum und Kultur 18), Zurich: Theologischer Verlag Zurich, 2022.
Alterity and language. Outline of a theology of abandonment. Leipzig: Ev. Verlagsanstalt, 2024.
Theology of abandonment. Theological thinking and acting in performative spaces. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2024.
There is no universal philosophy! Reflections on and by Enrique Dussel. Feinschwarz. Online Magazine. Autumn 2024.