Identity and Difference in Form of Thought and Metaphor: Coverage and Interference Analysis of two Theological Forms of Thought in Relation to the Body-of-Christ-Metaphor

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Rainer Kampling, since 4/2017
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology
• Term: from 2013 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 237712250

The analysis of thought-forms is one of the most innovative areas of theological research. In the German-speaking theology two prominent forms of thought stand opposite: On the one hand the Thought of Difference and on the other hand the Thought of Unity. Pröpper, Striet among others reformulate the god-earth-relationship in categories of freedom and take it as a strict relationship of difference. In comparison Müller reflects it in a monistical-based subject philosophy as considerably determined by the moment of unity.The research project does not aim at establishing the range or the problem-solving-potential of both thought-forms in direct comparison, but rather by a piece of material dogmatics that revolves around the tension between identity and difference in relations of the finite to the absolute that occurs in both thought-forms: the Body-of-Christ term. In doing so the material focus will be on the ecclesiological use of the Body-of-Christ-Metaphor in the 19th and 20th century: the finite subjects will be integrated in the mystic body of Christ and thus form the church. The surplus of the metaphors meaning is used to subject both thought-forms to an endurance test about their heuristic capacity and the limits of their validation strength: what paradigm concentrates particularly on which aspects of the Body-of-Christ-Ecclesiology? What metaphorical contents cannot or hardly be made visible in a thought-form specific way? Occurring interference with the test object can help making the structural logic of the Body-of-Christ term become more transparent. The medium of consideration itself will be reconfigured during this process by immersing it into the parameter of the respective thought-form.The application plans with two different material objects. On the one hand Johann Adam Möhler (1796-1838) is in the center of attention. His romantic-organological Body-of-Christ-Ecclesiology (church as continued incarnation) is attested in parts of the secondary literature a tendency towards Thought of Unity (panentheism). On the other hand the Body-of-Christ-Ecclesiology has to be analyzed within the German language area between the nineteen-twenties and nineteen-forties. A flood of to some extent extreme christomonistic drafts results in a radical deconstruction of this ontological loaded metaphor (Koster) in 1940. So we can call this a period of transition of the Body-of-Christ-Ecclesiology.The yield of the project first of all consists of the range analysis of two prominent theological thought-forms which are proved in their problem-solving-potential. Secondly, the project will make a methodical innovative contribution to the history of the Body-of-Christ-Ecclesiology in the 19th and 20th century. Thirdly, it lies in a critical relocation of the ecclesiological metaphor. Finally an analysis of considerably cultural policy concerning intern identity constructs and strategies of differentiation outwards in the area of religion is in prospect.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Uwe Puschner
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Matthias Reményi, until 3/2017