Simon Wiesgickl - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Simon Wiesgickl

Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte 36, 2023
ABS Journal, 2024
The planetary turn within humanities is a new chance to remember some of the main teachings of ec... more The planetary turn within humanities is a new chance to remember some of the main teachings of eco-feminism and Indigenous communities. In this article, the philosophical challenges of the Anthropocene are discussed and applied to Christian ethics. Some insights from a German theological perspective highlight problems of contemporary eco-theologies and ask for new ways. The main argument of the article is that we need to understand the colonial history of theology and its impact on the ecological catastrophe. A way forward might be to turn to the lessons of Indigenous communities and merge their epistemology with Christian theology.
Stefan Silber/Kim Sung/Christian Tauchner/Simon Wiesgickl (Hg.), Widerstand und Gewalt., 2024
In this paper, I explore new ways of resistance to hegemonic worldviews and regimes with a lens f... more In this paper, I explore new ways of resistance to hegemonic worldviews and regimes with a lens from liberation theology. I focus mainly on ecological issues and read those uprisings with inspiration from new materialism.
Kairos Europa, 2024
Inhaltsverzeichnis ▲ Vorwort/Einleitung ▲ I. Der Blick zurück 1. Der Konziliare Prozess für Gerec... more Inhaltsverzeichnis ▲ Vorwort/Einleitung ▲ I. Der Blick zurück 1. Der Konziliare Prozess für Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung 1983-1990 2. Der Konziliare Prozess der Kirchen in der DDR 3. Der Processus Confessionis zur wirtschaftlichen Ungerechtigkeit und Naturzerstörung 1990-2013 4. Am Anfang standen die Worte. Zum schwierigen Staats-Kirche-Verhältnis in der DDR 5. Der Konziliare Prozess in der Bundesrepublik nach 1989: Kein Stillstand, sondern Preisgabe ▲ II. Wo stehen wir heute? 1. Zu den Zeichen der Zeit 2. Aufruf von Kairos Europa an die 11. Vollversammlung des ÖRK 2022 in Karlsruhe ▲ III. Der Blick nach vorn
Theologische Literaturzeitung 147, 903-916, 2022
This article highlights problems and perspectives of postcolonial theory and theology. It discuss... more This article highlights problems and perspectives of postcolonial theory and theology. It discusses, why postcolonial theologies are only seldom noticed in some areas of German theology and what it's challenges and chances might be. In four rounds it covers postcolonial interventions and innovations in (church-)history, biblical studies, study of religion, ethics and practical theology. The question, of whether and how theology can be decolonized is further scrutinized.
Wirtschaft(en) im Dienst des Lebens – Heft 9: Das Zachäus-Projekt der weltweiten Ökumene, 2019
The non-profit organisation Kairos Europa gathers several voices to launch a new campaign for tax... more The non-profit organisation Kairos Europa gathers several voices to launch a new campaign for tax justice around the world. In my paper, I try to highlight what colonialism got to do with it and why we are still haunted by it's long shadows... (German only).
Klaus Hock (Hrsg), Wissen um Religion. Erkenntnis-Interesse, Leipzig, 367-379., 2020
In this paper, I shall discuss, how invented tradition and the imagination shaped knowledge on re... more In this paper, I shall discuss, how invented tradition and the imagination shaped knowledge on religion. I will present several turns and phases within the science of religion and gasp through the window of opportunity for new epistemologies and postcolonial perspectives on religion and theology. How can "Asia as Method" (Chen) help to foster the understanding of local theologies in Asian contexts?
Matut/Soboth/Cyranka (Hrsg.), Finden und Erfinden. Die Romantik und ihre Religionen, 2020
In this paper, I discuss the question, how German Romanticism shaped Religions by concentrating o... more In this paper, I discuss the question, how German Romanticism shaped Religions by concentrating on Old Testament Scholarship. Here, the typical act of collecting and classifying poetry, arts and folk tales as a Romantic technique is exemplified and shown how this has shaped a new understanding of the Hebrew Bible and helped to deprive Jewish authority and foster a German national identity.
Interkulturelle Theologie. Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft , 2019
In the spring of 2018, German newspapers and intellectuals started debating about the restitution... more In the spring of 2018, German newspapers and intellectuals started debating about the restitution of cultural goods. Cultural theoreticist Bénedicte Savoy argues for a transnational museum in regard to the Berlin Humboldt Forum. But what about german history and its close but neglected ties to colonialism? This article tries to connect the debate with some new monographs on the history of german orientalism around 1800. The article closes with some remarks on how to decolonize the debate of the Humboldt Forum in Berlin.

Der permanente Wandel. Über Religiom im Kapitalismus, in: Burkardt/Wiesgickl (Hg.): Verwandlungen
»Das Dorf Hollywood ist entworfen nach den Vorstellungen Die man hierorts vom Himmel hat. Hierort... more »Das Dorf Hollywood ist entworfen nach den Vorstellungen
Die man hierorts vom Himmel hat. Hierorts
Hat man ausgerechnet, daß Gott
Himmel und Hölle benötigend, nicht zwei
Etablissements zu entwerfen brauchte, sondern
Nur ein einziges, nämlich den Himmel. Dieser
Dient für die Unbemittelten, Erfolglosen
Als Hölle.«
Bertolt Brecht
Ein kleiner Versuch über Religion im Kapitalismus...
“For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily... more “For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change." What does the famous quote by Audre Lorde mean for the historical-critical method in biblical studies? My article will try to give an answer by reflecting on postcolonial theory.
In this paper, I try to highlight the entanglement of german academic scholarship in the emerging... more In this paper, I try to highlight the entanglement of german academic scholarship in the emerging field of "Old Testament Studies" with the german colonial phantasy around 1800. I argue, that one cannot separate the inventions and dynamics that come with 'Higher Criticism', 'Text Criticism' and so forth, from a setting of "armchair colonialism". The Old Testament can be interpreted as arena for a specific german colonialism as early as 1770–1820.

Postkoloniale Theorien und die Theologie. Themen, Debatten und Forschungsstand zur Einführung
In dieser Einführung zum Band Postkoloniale Theologien II (2017) werden die wichtigsten Themen un... more In dieser Einführung zum Band Postkoloniale Theologien II (2017) werden die wichtigsten Themen und Debatten postkolonialer Theologie im deutschsprachigen Raum, nach Fächern der Theologie geordnet, vorgestellt und besprochen.
Biblische Notizen, 2013
Who is the most beautiful man in the Hebrew Bible? How is male beauty illustrated and what does i... more Who is the most beautiful man in the Hebrew Bible? How is male beauty illustrated and what does it tell us about the authors and readers of the biblical texts? This article highlights the understanding of male beauty in Song of Songs and helps to understand its underlying ideological settings.
Dieser Artikel widmet sich dem biblischen Verständnis von Schönheit. Während weibliche Schönheit und weibliche Körperideale vielfach kritisch analysiert worden sind, wird hier einmal der Blick auf den männlichen Körper gerichtet.

Die kolonialen Anfänge der historisch-kritischen Methode. Über blinde Passagiere beim Bekennen der Schrift, in: Carsten Jochum-Bortfeld/Rainer Kessler (Hg.), Schriftgemäß. Die Bibel in Konflikten der Zeit, Gütersloh 2015.
In diesem Band werden zum ersten Mal in deutscher Sprache die wichtigsten Aufsätze postkolonialer... more In diesem Band werden zum ersten Mal in deutscher Sprache die wichtigsten Aufsätze postkolonialer Theologie vorgestellt und in einer umfangreichen Einleitung das Spektrum postkolonialer Theologie erkundet und Chancen und Herausforderungen prägnant benannt.
Biblische Zeitschrift 59, 2015
In diesem Artikel wird die Bedeutung der postkolonialen theoretischen Konzepte wie Hybridität, Am... more In diesem Artikel wird die Bedeutung der postkolonialen theoretischen Konzepte wie Hybridität, Ambivalenz etc. an einem konkreten exegetischen Fallbeispiel erläutert. Dabei werden Anachronismen der Forschung anhand von Dtn 13 aufgezeigt und der Versuch unternommen zu weiterführenden Deutungen zu gelangen.
Intercultural Theology(IT) is a discipline which in critically questioning traditional concepts l... more Intercultural Theology(IT) is a discipline which in critically questioning traditional concepts like the concept of 'the other'. 'culture', 'truth' or 'world religions' opens new perspectives and venues which are most relevant and necessary in the field of academic research, discourse and epistemology. In this article it is argued that IT furthers the competency of students to engage in intercultural encounters, dialogue and the shaping of culture with heightened sensitivity; and it leads to the development of compassion and solidarity.