Church in Dialogue
Division for intercultural and interreligious dialogue of the Archdiocese of Vienna
Initiators
“Kirche im Dialog” was established as part of restructuring processes within the Archdiocese of Vienna and is assigned to the Pastoral Office as one of five departments. In addition to intercultural and interreligious dialogue, the departments of ecumenism, worldview and sectarian issues, as well as world church and development cooperation are also assigned to this area.
Occasion
Challenges as well as opportunities for the church through the diversity of religions and worldviews in society and the potential of dialogical engagement with this diversity presented the occasion for creating “Kirche im Dialog”. The mission of the entire division thus is to establish spaces of encounter, dialogue and mutual learning processes in the Archdiocese of Vienna.
Target Groups
“Kirche im Dialog” is directed at multipliers engaged in the field of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, to people generally interested in the topic as well as volunteers and staff of the Archdiocese Vienna.
Objectives
“Kirche im Dialog” sees itself as a point of contact for everyone within the Archdiocese who is concerned with the religiously and ideologically plural society that surrounds them. The focus is on common dialogue, encounters with other religious and faith communities and associated mutual learning processes, p. e. in the form of consulting and support through networking, educational and encounter opportunities. In addition, new forms of neighborhood and everyday dialogues are developed and offered.
Topics
The central topics of the department are: interreligious and intercultural dialogue, competence transfer in respect to diversity as well as establishing networks between the various religious communities.
Duration
Kirche im Dialog as part of the Pastoral Office has been in operation in its present form since 2020.
Activities
- Lectures and workshops on intercultural and interreligious subjects
- Participation in diocesan and inter-diocesan meetings on interreligiosity
- Support of multipliers
- Organization of intercultural and interreligious encounters
- Visits to religious communities as part of professional trainings for staff of the Archdiocese Vienna
- Cooperation in the organization of the symposium “Dialog für eine Welt” (Dialogue for One World)
- Network meetings for staff of the parishes of the Archdiocese of Vienna involved in the field of dialogue
Form of Organziation
Kirche im Dialog is part of the Pastoral Office of the Archdiocese of Vienna, subdivided into the departments of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, ecumenism, worldview and sectarian issues, as well as world church and development cooperation.
Funding
Kirche im Dialog is funded by means from the Archdiocese of Vienna.
Products
The department publishes the annual multi-religious feast-day calendar "Feiertagsgruß" in cooperation with youth organizations of the Abrahamic religious communities.
Website | Social Media | Contact
www.kircheimdialog.wien
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kirche-im-Dialog
E-mail: dialog@edw.or.at
Stefan Lorger-Rauwolf (Dipl.-Theol.)
Head of Department
Advisor for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
Advisor for Questions concerning Wordviews
T: +43 1 51552 3367
E-Mail: s.lorger-rauwolf@edw.or.at
Mag. Elisabeth Palugyay
Advisor for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
Advisor für World Church and Development Cooperation
T: +43 1 515 52 3118
E-mail: e.palugyay@edw.or.at
editor: gm / update: ts / jb/ rw 2022