Secularization Theories, Religious Identity and Practical Theology

This volume represents the proceedings of the 2007 meeting of the International Academy of Practical Theology, which was held in Berlin (GER) on the theme of "secularization theories, religious identity and practical theology". This volume offers a wide variety of perspectives on the relationship between (practical) theology and sociology, psychology, education and culture, featuring papers from some of the world's leading practical theologians. They include subjects as "creating space within the dynamics of interculturality: the impact of religious and cultural transformations in post-apartheid South Africa", "redefining children's spirituality", "educating for religious identity in a secularizing world" and "Europe - a post-secular society". In this diversity of subjects, the common trend in international practical theological research regarding theories on secularization and religious identity in the globalized world is represented in this volume. Therefore, this book will be of interest not only to theological educators and students, but also to all those interested in the analysis of religion in its various phenomena at the beginning of the 21st century.

Wilhelm Gräb is professor of Practical Theology and director of the Institute for Sociology of Religion at Humboldt-University to Berlin. Lars Charbonnier is scientific assistant of the Institute for Sociology of Religion / Seminary for Practical Theology at Humboldt-University to Berlin.