Opitz Thompson
Fakultäten » Theologische Fakultät » Theologisches Seminar » Schweizerische Reformationsgeschichte, Institut für » Prof. Dr. Peter Opitz » Opitz Thompson
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Female Voices from the Upper German Reformation between 1520 and 1575 | ||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | The purpose of this research is to recover the voices of selected Upper German women in their historical context of the 16th century Reformation in order to support the hypothesis that an exegesis of women’s participation in Reformation church history is relevant and imperative to truthful contemporary historiography. Research Goal The goal of this research is to ascertain the theology and activities of women during the Reformation in the Upper German Protestant church to determine the continuity and discontinuity of women’s participation in the mission of the church during the Reformation. Significance The significant contribution will be the interpretation of historical data that informs an understanding of how 16th century men and especially women understood their participation in the missio dei. Central Research Issue The central research issue is determining and analysing women’s appropriation of and participation in the missio dei, during the 16th century Reformation in the Upper German region in which Protestantism and Modernity were inaugurated. Basal Literature Gender, History, Theology, Philosophy Research Questions 1. What are the theories that inform our understanding of Christian women that may inform how they understand themselves? 2. What do literary sources tell us about the theology and activities of women in the Protestant church during the Upper German Reformation? 3. How can a phenomenological theoretical framework be applied to women’s participation in history? 4. Which texts, court records, and literature of and about Reformation women require reinterpretation and integration into contemporary historical narratives? 5. How did female interpretation of Bible texts written by both men and women during the 16th century in the Upper German Reformation shape the activities of men and women in the church and culture? 6. What are the contemporary implications or implied trajectories of an historical and theological critical analysis of Reformation women in the Upper German region during the 16th century? Summary: These research findings will contribute to understanding the interpretation of history and theology to further the practice of gender reconciliation in hope that both men and women are encouraged to participate in the missio dei. This research will also give rise to an essay on the theological implications of the research. Current research activities: The Testimonies of Women from and around Zurich between 1520 and 1575 have been examinated: Anna Bullinger, Anna Zwingli, Margaretha Blarer, Margaret Hottinger, Barbara Zehnder, Mary Rosen, Katharina Gmünder Judas, Anna Pelikan, Margaretha von Cham, Katherina Martyr, Barbara Zehnderin, Regula Gwalter, etc. , followed by studies on the Theology and Gender Politics of Heinrich Bullinger and Huldrych Zwingli, Beza and Polygamy and the Virgin Mary in the Reformation: A Model of Change. |
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| Publications / Publikationen | Giselbrecht, Rebecca (2011). Myths and reality about Heinrich Bullinger's wife Anna. Zwingliana, 38:53-66.Giselbrecht, Rebecca (2011). Zwingli und Bullinger: Väter des reformierten "Wybsbilds". In: Freudenberg, Matthias; Plasger, Georg. Kirche, Theologie und Politik im Reformierten Protestantismus. Vorträge der 8. Emder Tagung zur Geschichte des reformierten Protestantismus. Neukirchen-Vluyn, 27-36. ISBN 978-3-7887-2534-1.Giselbrecht, Rebecca (2009). Rezension zu: Kirsi Stjerna. Women and the Reformation. Maden Oxford: Blackwell Publishing 2009. - 269 S., ISBN 978-1-4051-1422-6. Zwingliana:175-176.Weitere Informationen | ||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Universität Zürich (position pursuing an academic career), Foundation Scholarship von George und Della Hummel |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Aug 2009 to Dec 2012 |