Love, Friendship, Sexuality. Theological "Approaches

On November 28, 2018, a theological study day for high school students took place for the second time. Up to 140 students from five different schools (Friedrich-List-Schule, Max-Eyth-Schule, Engelsburg-Gymnasium in Kassel, Bergschule in Heiligenstadt, Rabanus-Maurus-Schule in Fulda) took part, got a whiff of university air and exchanged ideas on a current theological topic.

Love, Friendship, Sexuality. Theological "Approaches" was the title of the study day. A central biblical theme was chosen for the study day, which is at the same time a fundamentally human one. Together, experiences of successful and failing, joyful and hurtful love and friendship relationships were reflected theologically. From different perspectives, i.e. from different theological disciplines, central questions were asked: What is the meaning of this theme for people today? How can this theme, i.e. the forms of friendship and love experienced by oneself, found in Christian sources or existing in contemporary society, be interpreted, understood, reflected upon and shaped in a Christian way today?

The study day began with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Ilse Müllner, Professor of Old Testament, entitled "Strong as Death is Love." (Song of Songs 8:6) Love, Desire and Sexuality in the Old Testament". Impressively, a well-founded overview was given of the extent to which this topic has already been dealt with controversially and in many different ways in various biblical books. Many stories in Genesis and the Samuel books (Jacob and Rachel, David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi) deal with love and friendship, with happy and dramatic relationships. Presented were the texts of the Song of Songs, a collection of tender, sometimes explicitly erotic love songs in which the seeking and finding, the longing and mutual praise of two lovers is portrayed. In addition to dealing with polygamy, which was taken for granted in the Ancient Near East, and with the institution of marriage, which is to be thought of primarily as an institution of provision, texts were also addressed that deal with the destructive sides of sexuality, such as sexualized violence (Bathsheba and David). From the Old Testament we can learn above all a great openness in dealing with the topics of love, desire, sexuality, in which physicality is an area that, like other fields of everyday life, is a place of lived relationship with God. An interesting time for follow-up questions and discussion followed.

Afterwards, the students had the opportunity to attend two workshops, one after the other, in which two topics were examined in depth. Nine different workshops on the various points of contact offered by the topic were prepared and conducted by research assistants, students and trainee teachers:

W1 Love of self - love of neighbor - love of God. What about your balance?

W2 In Love with Alexa®. Virtual love in 2025.

W3 Expectations of love and friendship. Is there someone who understands my heart?

W4 Aristotle meets Spongebob. Friendship in the past & today

W5 Prostitution: bought love?!

W6 "But greater than all is love". Same-sex love and the Catholic Church (using the example of the Wucherpfennig case).

W7 #MeToo: What does sexualized violence have to do with the Bible?

W8 Let's try it again. Media, power and relationship games

W9 Intensive Theology: Forbidden Love - The Church and Celibacy

The study day is integrated into the interdisciplinary research project PRONET within the framework of the joint quality offensive teacher training of the federal and state governments. The learning situations for students offered here were characterized by an interdisciplinary approach, in that the current theologically and socially relevant topic of friendship, love, sexuality was considered and reflected from different theological disciplines and scientific perspectives. In addition, the testing of teaching situations by students and trainee teachers within the framework of the self-led workshops with pupils was a great gain in competence with a view to their future professional practice.

The theological study day for students is the result of a cooperation between instructors for the second phase of teacher training (Mrs. Strecha and Dr. Müller) and lecturers from the University of Kassel (Dr. Bertram, Mr. Sola Requena, Mr. Schlehahn, Prof. Annegret Reese-Schnitker). This year the study day was also linked with a cooperation seminar of the colleague Prof. Dr. Markus Tomberg and theology students of the University of Marburg.