Since 2010 the institutes for Catholic and Protestant Theology of the University of Paderborn are establishing relations to universities in Islamic shaped countries. These relations shall encourage study trips for students, doctorates and professors and through this foster the active interreligious dialogue as well as the intercultural exchange.

Currently there are relations with universities in Iran and Lebanon.

The institutes for Catholic and Protestant Theology of the University of Paderborn are establishing relations to Muslim universities in Iran since 2010. Both universities are located in Qom the most important theological center in Iran. The interest in the university dialogue consists mainly in engaging in a conversation with students and lecturers from the Shiite shaped country instead of just talking about Muslims and the Islam. The project offers participants from both countries a unique chance of an authentic encounter and enables them to get to know the culture and religions of the other one.

Since 2010 the Center for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies is building a relation to the University St. Joseph (USJ) in Beirut, Lebanon. The USJ is one of the oldest universities in the country. The local institute for religious studies incorporates three institutes (Higher Institute for Religious Sciences, Center for Arab Christian Documentation and Research, Institute for Islamo-Christian Studies). Within them Christian and Muslim theologians and scholars of religious studies are working together. The interest with regard to the university dialogue consists mainly in engaging in a conversation with and learning from students and scholars of the county that is shaped by diverse Christian and Muslim denominations. The project offers participants from both countries a unique chance of an authentic encounter and enables them to get to know the culture and religions of the other one. The project is conducted together with the University of Münster.

In the years 2018 to 2021 the DAAD supports the mutual work of the University of Paderborn and the University of Religions and Denominations (URD) in Iran within the program “Fachbezogene Partnerschaften mit Hochschulen in Entwicklungsländern”.

The Center for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies already maintained narrow relations to the University of Religions and Denominations (URD) in Qom/Iran for several years. At the URD students get to know the world religions from the perspective of the particular theology. Between 2018 and 2021 students and scholars from Paderborn will travel annually to Iran to engage in debates that play an important role in German Theology. Likewise an Iranian delegation will travel to Paderborn to educate the German students in central Shiite topics.

Through this courses of studies shall be extended and teaching materials shall be developed that can be used within the interreligious dialogue. This shall help to stabilize the collaboration and contribute to a lasting understanding of the other religion.

Das International Center for Comparative Theology and Social Issues der Universität Bonn und ZeKK der Universität Paderborn haben 2023 für ein gemeinsames Oberseminar an der Universität Universidad Loyola (Campus Granada) zusammengefunden.

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