Goethe University acquires two new DFG research groups
Research unit focuses on power and abuse in the church / Second funding phase of the center for advanced studies on polycentricity and plurality of premodern christianities
Goethe University Frankfurt
FRANKFURT. How do power and abuse develop, particularly within the Catholic Church? What defines this power, and how does it function? These questions have long been a research focus at Goethe University’s Faculty of Roman Catholic Theology. An interdisciplinary research team will now intensify its work on this topic with additional support: The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) has approved the research unit “Power and Abuse in the Roman Catholic Church – Interdisciplinary Critique and Analysis” which brings together experts from theology, religious studies, philosophy of religion, law, and educational sciences. The group is led by Prof. Anja Middelbeck-Varwick, a religious studies scholar and Catholic theologian. “The issue of power and powerlessness in the Church has gained particular urgency due to the countless cases of abuse that have come to light in Germany since 2010. That is why this topic has been a major focus for our faculty. As an interdisciplinary research unit, we now have even greater strength and focus to address these issues – something we are very pleased about,” she says.
The researchers approach the topic from various disciplinary perspectives, structured into three clusters: (1) Vulnerability and Systemic Conditions – examining the factors that make individuals and institutions susceptible to abuse; (2) Orders and Structures of Power – investigating institutional power dynamics; and (3) Theological Foundations of Power Imbalances and Abuse – analyzing underlying legal frameworks and thought structures that may enable or reinforce abuse. Questions revolve around what typical perpetrator-victim structures look like and what factors contribute to their becoming taboo or being covered up. The project also aims to apply its findings beyond the Church, contributing to broader efforts to combat and prevent abuse. The unit’s members include Prof. Sabine Andresen (education specialist and former chair of Germany’s Independent Commission for Child Sexual Abuse Issues), Prof. Ute Sacksofsky (constitutional law expert), and Prof. Christoph Mandry (ethics scholar). The research will initially be funded for four years, with the possibility of a four-year extension.
Follow-up funding for Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences
The Center for Advanced Studies “Polycentricity and Plurality of Premodern Christianities”, first launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, will continue its work. The Center explores the diversity of Christian groups up to the eighteenth century. Traditionally, historical research has projected the highly centralized church structures of the nineteenth century onto earlier periods, neglecting the actual complexity of premodern Christianity. Terms such as “confession“ or “church” do not fully capture the reality of these historical Christian communities, hence the introduction of the term “Christianities.” Unlike institutionalized churches, these Christianities are seen as interactive communities that defined themselves through their connection to Jesus Christ while maintaining identities distinct from other groups. These communities evolved dynamically, sometimes alongside or in opposition to formal church structures, which incidentally also grew out of these communities. Religious centers developed at times outside well-known church centers.
The first phase of funding has already produced several publications. In 2022, the Center welcomed displaced historians from Ukraine. Initially, they were funded through the Center’s own resources, later with the support of the Gerda Henkel Foundation, and eventually as DFG Fellows. “These colleagues are a tremendous enrichment to our research. Ukraine has historically had a remarkable religious diversity. Before the Russian full-scale invasion, we had planned a research trip to the region. We hope that our collaboration will lead to lasting research partnerships with Ukrainian scholars,” says Prof. Birgit Emich, an early modern historian and spokesperson for the Center. For the second phase, Prof. Hartmut Leppin, a scholar of early Christianity, will join the project. This next stage will involve external experts in the completion of a three-volume compendium, which will offer insights into the religious and social practices of the time. More details can be found at: https://www.poly-unifrankfurt.de/.
”I am very pleased about both funding approvals – the Research Unit and the Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Science research at Goethe University holds great potential, which will now gain even more momentum and visibility. These two programs promise entirely new perspectives, both in terms of the past and the future of our society,” says Prof. Bernhard Brüne, Vice President Research at Goethe University.
Research Units and Centers for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences
Funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), Research Units (Forschungsgruppen) consist of small teams of scholars working together on a specific research question that cannot be solved individually. The funding program has existed since 1962 and was called Forschergruppe until 2018. It particularly aims to support international and interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers as well as early-career academics.
Centers for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (Kolleg-Forschungsgruppen) are a DFG funding program specifically designed for research in the humanities and social sciences. These centers bring together distinguished scholars to advance a specific research topic at a single location. The chosen topic should correspond with local research strengths and provide a framework for integrating individual research ideas. “Polycentricity and Plurality” is currently Goethe University’s only Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences.
