Sensus fidei – Christianity, Theology, Church
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Benedikt XVI. – Some personal Thoughts
What will people say about Joseph Ratzinger, the man who succeeded John Paul II under his name Benedict XVI. from 2005 to 2013 when the Pope was head of the Catholic Church? It is to be expected that the controversies of his tenure, which were particularly closely observed in Germany, will be highlighted in retrospects…
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The Black King – Are nativity scenes racist?
In October 2020, a decision by those responsible for Ulm cathedral (Bavaria) caused a stir throughout Germany. The local Protestant parish decided this year to set up their nativity scene from the 1920s without the figures of the three kings. The reason: The depiction of the black king reflects a colonialist and essentially racist attitude…
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Who am I? – Some thoughts on Christmas
In the German Catholic hymn book for the service there is a song that is often sung to accompany the confession of faith. The first verse is: “I believe in the Father, the Creator of this world, who in his love holds us in his hands. He created life out of nothing, man as woman…
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The worldwide synod – a new council?
While in Germany the „Synodal Way“ dominated the news within the Church for a long time, it has been somewhat forgotten that Pope Francis called for a worldwide „Synodal Path“ in 2021. What was initially interpreted from a German perspective as a bit of a „diversionary maneuver“ with which the Pope wanted to slow down…
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Prayer – A short introduction
What exactly is „prayer“? How is it that trees start greening at the same time in spring? Modern biology has found an amazing answer: the trees coordinate with each other. Of course, they don’t speak like we humans speak. The „tree language“ consists of the exchange of messenger substances that are passed on via the…
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„What would Jesus have done?“
„What would Jesus have done?“ – This question comes up again and again in the discussion of controversial current issues, such as the blessing of homosexual partnerships, the admission of women to the ordained ministry, euthanasia or in questions of war and peace. As a rule, it is not asked as an open question, but…
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The „Ratzinger case“: To what extent is the abuse a „Catholic problem“?
Once again it was Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller who caused outrage in a special way in January 22. In an interview in an Italian daily newspaper, he commented on the results of the abuse study in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising that had been presented the day before. A particularly piquant detail of this…
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„Stranger Things“ – A theological interpretation
In the past week I have been approached several times about the Netflix series „Stranger Things“. In fact, the recently released fourth season gave the streaming service record views and wide attention in the arts pages. Such a phenomenon as the current hype about „Stranger Things“ shows that a fictional work obviously not only offers…
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Pope Francis – Introduction to his theological thinking
On March 13, 2013, the previous Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected Pope and took the name „Francis“. Since then, his person has enjoyed uninterrupted public interest. In Germany, this quickly focuses on keywords such as „curial reform“ and „pastoral ministry of mercy“, as well as the unconventional style of the…
Rev. Georg Bergner, Catholic Priest and Theologian, Schwerin (Germany) 