Theology and Intermediality in Early Modern Inauguration Sermons

• Applicant: Dr. Frank Kurzmann
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 408023088

The goal of this project is to undertake a systematic analysis of EarlyModern sermons, which were delivered and published on theoccasion of the inauguration of churches, pulpits, altars, baptismalfonts, organs and church bells. This kind of research has never beendone before and will take into account the various historical contextsthis type of source can be located in. Namely, Church history,Theology, the genres of exegesis and sermons as well as practices ofand views on piety. The project focuses on numerous sermons byLutheran, Reformed and Catholic preachers from German-speakingregions (between 1544 and 1750), which have largely beendisregarded. For the first time it will be possible to explore a vitalsegment of the history of the Early Modern occasional sermons,which are (apart from funeral sermons) a terra incognita in terms ofresearch. The project also contributes to the academic research onEarly Modern sacral intermediality, which is an important developingfield of historical inquiry. Early Modern occasional sermons ashistorical sources give important insight into the sophisticated and yetcomprehensible ways complex theological, exegetical and pietyrelatedthought was presented, and how central theological topicswere discussed in innovative ways. The authors did not simplyreproduce the opinions fixed in written teachings; in fact theologicaltracts emerged from inauguration sermons for example. Therefore,inauguration sermons are extremely important, yet overlooked,sources for the research of Early Modern intermediality: They areintertextual, seen as they include references to Scripture, song texts,quotations of the Church Fathers, etc., as well as intermedial: Theyalso include references to the inaugurated artefacts with (alsointermedial) combinations of images and text (e.g. paintings, reliefcarvings, emblems etc.), which is not the case in most other sermons.The theological ‘messages’ of the artefacts (which follow specificrhetorical patterns) are combined e.g. with the exegesis of biblicaltexts. Through the interaction between the various media thebelievers were introduced to a ‘spiritually augmented reality’. Bycomparing sermons from different confessional backgroundssimilarities and differences of the inauguration sermons as well asconfessional characteristics can be examined and presented.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants