Background
After Trento, CTEWC agreed to host a series of regional conferences that promote the regional teaching and research of Catholic theological ethics and the formation of new, regional scholars for the next generation. At the August 2012 regional conference in Nairobi, we discussed the three forthcoming meetings: Berlin (2013), Bangalore (2015), and Latin America (2016).
In September 2012, Linda Hogan, Antonio Autiero and I met with Mr. Joachim Hake, the Director of the Katholische Akademie in Berlin. Antonio had met earlier with him. Mr. Hake had agreed to host our June 2013 meeting at the Akademie. As a form of collaboration he has also invited CTEWC to participate in the inaugural festivities “Saints Peter and Paul” of the Katholische Akademie with a public lecture and with an introduction of the work of CTEWC. The presentation to the Katholische Akademie is on Saturday evening at 7pm on June 29, 2013. The Akademie is expecting a large number of guests (300) for the inaugural address, followed by a cook-out.
The Berlin Meeting
From Thursday evening, June 27, 2013 to Saturday evening June 29, Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church (CTEWC) is hosting a small meeting for 17 European Theological Ethicists (9 from Western Europe/ 8 from Eastern Europe) at the Katholische Akademie in Berlin, Germany.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the future of theological ethics (both in teaching and in promoting the new generation of ethicists) in Western and Eastern Europe and to discuss how CTEWC can support such on-going discussions and projects. We invited the following 17 Europeans to the conference. We offered to cover their transportation to and from Berlin, their Hotel stay in Berlin, and their meals.
On Friday we will have three sessions, which will basically aim at dealing with shared and differing challenges and brainstorming for pathways for the future. On this day, from CTEWC there will only be Linda Hogan (Ireland, and co-chair of CTEWC); Antonio Autiero (Germany, head of the Eastern European Regional Committee); Andrea Vicini (Italy, Head of Development Committee) and me.
On Saturday, the group outlines strategies for the future and hosts a small seminar of formal presentations on the theme. We will adjourn by 4 pm on Saturday but later join the Akademie’s inaugural event.
In addition, the rest of the CTEWC Planning Committee will attend the inaugural event and will hold their annual meeting starting on Sunday, June 30th.
Jim Keenan
Read Reflections on the Berlin Meeting
- Marianne Heimbach-Steins (Download) –in German
- Konrad Glombik (Download) –in Polish
- Julie Clague (Read) –in English
Press Coverage in NCR:
- On the CTEWC Meeting in Berlin: “Theologians hope to bridge social, political divides”
- Interview with Jesuit Fr. François-Xavier Dumortier: “Head of Rome’s Gregorian University seeks trust, respect from Vatican”
- Interview with Fr. Philippe Bordeyne: “Paris Catholic University head: Theologians must tackle tough questions“
Browse Photos from the Conference