About
The Research Center “Synagogue and Churches” provides an academic contribution to both Church and society. The Catholic Church has become more open to other Christian confessions as a matter of ecclesial and theological policy since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). In the same way, not least against the background of the Holocaust, Christian-Jewish relations and the resultant need for a new Christian theology of Judaism are at the centre/center of discussions. The resulting questions are of particular social relevance, as can be seen in Austria and in Tyrol in dialogues between the Christian churches, Jewish-Christian dialogue, and Muslim-Christian dialogue). The great strength and challenge of this research network thus consists in the necessary interaction of academic research, church profile building (in the sense of unity in reconciled diversity / a differentiated consensus) and concrete practical relevance. This in turn requires additional reflection on practice, which in turn is able to help to direct future research.
Editorial Work and Databases
The research carried out at the centre can draw on the literature database THEOLDI, which has recently merged with IxTheo. It provides relevant literature on Biblical Studies and Judaism (BILDI) and on Canon Law (KALDI), and contributes to international research as the database is accessed worldwide on a daily basis. Another indispensable part of the infrastructure is the Biblical Studies Slide Database with a stock of 12,000 photographs from the world of the Bible and early Judaism and Christianity, which is updated regularly. We are currently in the process of digitizing the database, including extensive metadata and indexing.
Contact
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dominik Markl SJ (Spokesperson)
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Rees
Dr. Michael Dormandy