It has been a major question in traditional theological thinking how the Divine Attributes are to be understood. Recent debates in analytical philosophy have allowed new approaches that, however, are often not linked to those traditional debates. The project  » Building bridges between traditional thought and analytical philosophy – Rethinking Divine Attributes in Islam and Christianity » aims at bringing the traditional theological discussions in touch with the modern analytical debate. Moreover, analytical philosophy has mostly focussed on Christian Theism, while we intend to explore the possibility of using analytical philosophy as a tool in inter-religious dialogue. Thus, the project focuses on the following questions:

• How can we perceive the attributes of Omnipotence and Omniscience, Justice and Mercy, Simplicity and Divine Action?
• What can analytical philosophy contribute to an understanding of those attributes?
• Is analytical philosophy an appropriate method to find a « common ground » between Muslim and Christian theologians who are dealing with similar questions?

Those questions will be explored in three consecutive Summer Schools. This format aims at connecting people and discourses that would otherwise remain separated. The Summer School 2021, « Justice and Mercy. Discussing the Divine Attributes in Muslim-Christian Dialogue », will take place in Paderborn from August 9 to 13, following the stucture of lectures in the morning and seminars taught by interreligious tandems in the afternoon.

Lecturers will come from Turkey, Tunesia, Iran and Germany:

• Farid Esack, University of Johannesburg
• Seyed Hassan Ardakani Eslami, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom
• Georg Gasser, University of Augsburg
• Maureen Junker-Kenny Trinity College Dublin
• Jerusha Tanner Rhodes Union Theological Seminary, New York
• Jochen Schmidt University of Paderborn
• Prof. Dr. Klaus von Stosch, University of Paderborn
• Muna Tatari University of Paderborn

By the end of the project, an international inter-religious research network will be established.

Organisers

This Summer School is part of the project “Building bridges between traditional thought and analytical philosophy – Rethinking Divine Attributes in Islam and Christianity” which is funded by the Templeton Foundation

Application

Services

• Students from Iran: Accommodation will be covered, financial support for travel 500 € (round trip)
• Students from Turkey and Tunisia: Accommodation will be covered, financial support for travel 250 € (round trip)
• Students from Germany and other countries: Accommodation will be covered (except for students from Paderborn)

Accommodation in Paderborn will be provided from August 8 to 13, 2021 in four-bed rooms (single rooms for surcharge can be requested).

For your application please send the filled application form with motivation letter and your CV to Lukas Wiesenhütter.

You can download the application form here Application form (docx)/ Application form (pdf)

Deadline for application 

– International students: End of March 2021

– Students in Germany: End of April 2021