The proposed research project "Queer in the rectory: the pastoral-theological relevance of non-heteronormative life forms of pastors" asks for possible connections between life-form-related experiences of queer (here: queer = not corresponding to a heteronormative claim) pastors in training and profession, and pastoral identity work, which can be understood here for the time being as a lifelong process of theological reflection and pastoral action practice. One reason for this is the British study by C. Swift, in which the observation was made that a conspicuously large number of pastors who do not orient their lives according to the model of Christian lifestyle propagated so far in theology and church - heterosexual marriage - exercise their ministry within hospital chaplaincy (and other functional areas) after they have left the parish ministry more or less voluntarily due to the form of life (cf. Swift 2014, 155f.).

There are no corresponding studies for Germany so far, but informal conversations with pastors indicate that pastors with non-heterosexual lifestyles are challenged in a special way to justify their lifestyles to themselves and others during training and in parish ministry. Accordingly, the focus of the project will be on the as yet unresearched question of whether and how the pluralization of lifestyles, which has taken shape in pastors' biographies, affects and has affected theological reflection and action practice: both on the individual theology of pastors and on their pastoral theological self-understanding.

This project is implemented within the framework of two sub-projects: in an empirical doctoral project (WMA), data are collected within the framework of qualitative guided interviews (expert interviews), evaluated by means of documentary methods and reflected upon pastorally and theologically. Parts of the interviews will be edited and published in another subproject (project leader) in the context of an interview volume together with expert contributions on the topic of "life forms". A workshop and an international symposium will ensure the transfer of the topic into the international and interdisciplinary scientific discourse. A regular and contemporary promotion of the project through social media contributions (SHK1+2) aims at the transfer of the project contents into the social public.

International conference from 20.09.2023 to 22.09.2023. "Queer in the rectory": the pastoral-theological relevance of non-heteronormative ways of life of pastors*.

The proposed research project "Queer in the rectory: the pastoral-theological relevance of non-heteronormative life forms of pastors" asks for possible connections between life-form-related experiences of queer (here: queer = not corresponding to a heteronormative claim) pastors in training and profession, and pastoral identity work, which can be understood here for the time being as a lifelong process of theological reflection and pastoral action practice. One reason for this is the British study by C. Swift, in which the observation was made that a conspicuously large number of pastors who do not orient their lives according to the model of Christian lifestyle propagated so far in theology and church - heterosexual marriage - exercise their ministry within hospital chaplaincy (and other functional areas) after they have left the parish ministry more or less voluntarily due to the form of life (cf. Swift 2014, 155f.).

There are no corresponding studies for Germany so far, but informal conversations with pastors indicate that pastors with non-heterosexual lifestyles are challenged in a special way to justify their lifestyles to themselves and others during training and in parish ministry. Accordingly, the focus of the project will be on the as yet unresearched question of whether and how the pluralization of lifestyles, which has taken shape in pastors' biographies, affects and has affected theological reflection and action practice: both on the individual theology of pastors and on their pastoral theological self-understanding.

This project is implemented within the framework of two sub-projects: in an empirical doctoral project (WMA), data are collected within the framework of qualitative guided interviews (expert interviews), evaluated by means of documentary methods and reflected upon pastorally and theologically. Parts of the interviews will be edited and published in another subproject (project leader) in the context of an interview volume together with expert contributions on the topic of "life forms". A workshop and an international symposium will ensure the transfer of the topic into the international and interdisciplinary scientific discourse. A regular and contemporary promotion of the project through social media contributions (SHK1+2) aims at the transfer of the project contents into the social public.

program

accommodation in Münster