Karl-Rahner-Akademie

The Karl-Rahner-Akademie (self-styled Karl Rahner Akademie Köln) is an independent city academy in Cologne, Germany, named after the Jesuit theologian and philosopher Karl Rahner (1904–1984). It describes itself as an independent forum for discussion located in the "Kulturquartier am Neumarkt" in the centre of Cologne, and its programme addresses social and religious questions from a range of perspectives. It is a non-profit adult-education and dialogue institution rather than a commercial company, but it operates as a distinct, trademarked institutional brand with its own venue, programme, staff and support structure. The academy's roots go back to an initiative of the Jesuit P. Heinrich Ostermann SJ, who from 1947 sought to contribute to intellectual reorientation by teaching Catholic social doctrine, beginning in 1951 as a "Soziales Seminar des katholischen Männerwerks" (Social Seminar of the Catholic Men's Work). Initially housed in the Canisiushaus, the Cologne Jesuit residence, the institution has occupied its own donation-financed "Haus der Begegnung" at Jabachstraße 4–8 in Cologne since 1956. In 1988 it was renamed the Karl Rahner Akademie in memory of Karl Rahner, described in its own materials as the most significant Catholic theologian of the 20th century. Its programme spans theology and religion, philosophy, social and natural sciences, and culture. Over the years guests have included figures such as Jean Asselborn, Jürgen Becker, Micha Brumlik, Christiane Florin, Serap Güler, Navid Kermani, Julia Knop, Rolf Mützenich, Mithu Sanyal, Michael Seewald and Christiane Woopen. The academy is run by a small professional team led by Norbert Bauer, who took over as director on 1 September 2018, succeeding the theologian Bernd Wacker. It is supported by the association Karl Rahner Akademie Köln e. V., a friends' association founded in 1993, and a non-profit foundation established in 2004. Financially, the academy has had a distinctive history. After the Archdiocese of Cologne cut its church funding in 2005, the academy became the only Catholic academy largely carried by the financial and voluntary commitment of its participants. Since 2017 the Archdiocese of Cologne has again supported it with an annual subsidy, currently around 120,000 euros, while roughly 80 percent of the budget continues to be financed by friends, supporters and its foundation. In recent years, support has also enabled barrier-free access to the building and modern technology for online participation in its programme.

The Karl-Rahner-Akademie traces its origins to the Jesuit P. Heinrich Ostermann SJ, who from 1947 worked to contribute to intellectual reorientation by conveying Catholic social doctrine. In 1951 this took the form of a "Soziales Seminar des katholischen Männerwerks" (Social Seminar of the Catholic Men's Work). Initially housed in the rooms of the Canisiushaus, the Cologne Jesuit residence, the institution has had its own donation-financed "Haus der Begegnung" at Jabachstraße 4–8 in Cologne since 1956. According to the academy's own history, the "Haus der Begegnung" was built between 1953 and 1956 in the Jabachstraße to plans by Karl Band; the project was realised by the Kölner Männerwerk with support from church, politics and business. In the spirit of Catholic social teaching, P. Heinrich Ostermann SJ and his associates brought different social forces of the city into a productive cooperation aimed at social balance. Initially, participants in the courses were mainly entrepreneurs, middle managers, master craftsmen, engineers and public-service employees, and the courses were offered almost entirely on an honorary basis by the lecturers. In the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, the "Theologische Akademie an St. Peter" was founded under the leadership of P. Karl Rahner SJ and P. Otto Semmelroth SJ. In 1969 the institution took over offerings in the fields of art, literature and intellectual history from the "Albertus-Magnus-Werk", the educational institution of the Catholic Committee in the city of Cologne. From 1969 it called itself "Akademie für Erwachsenenbildung Köln im Haus der Begegnung". In 1988, in memory of the important theologian P. Karl Rahner SJ, it was renamed "Karl Rahner Akademie". In 1975 the new North Rhine-Westphalia further-education law (Weiterbildungsgesetz NRW) required a restructuring of church educational work. Various sponsors joined together to form the Bildungswerk of the Archdiocese of Cologne, to which the academy belonged as a special institute. Cooperation between the Bildungswerk and the academy lasted until 2005, when the Archdiocese of Cologne, in the context of its austerity measures, stopped paying further subsidies to the academy. Since 2006 the academy has financed itself predominantly from the financial and voluntary commitment of its listeners, friends and supporters. In 2017 the Cologne diocesan leadership modified its decision; the academy now again receives a subsidy amounting to about 20 percent of its total budget. According to the academy's own account, since the cutting of church funds in 2005 it has been the only Catholic academy largely carried by the financial and voluntary engagement of its participants; the Archdiocese of Cologne has again supported it since 2017 with an annual subsidy currently of 120,000 euros, while 80 percent of the budget continues to be financed by friends, supporters and its foundation. The supporting association, the "Karl Rahner Akademie Köln e. V.", was founded as the "Katholisches Männerwerk der Stadt Köln" and renamed "Karl Rahner Akademie Köln e. V." in 2009. The academy's director until his retirement in 2018 was the theologian Bernd Wacker. On 1 September 2018 the theologian and pastoral referent Norbert Bauer took over the leadership of the academy. Since 2019 the theologian Dr. Werner Höbsch has been chairman of the supporting association; the board also includes the journalist Helga Kirchner, the theologian Hans Joachim Höhn, the Jesuit Ulrich Rabe and the theologian Irmgard Conin. The academy is supported ideally and financially by the "Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Karl Rahner Akademie e. V.", a friends' association founded in 1993 that is indispensable for securing the academy's existence. In 2004 the non-profit "Stiftung der Karl Rahner Akademie Köln" was established. In recent years, support has enabled the academy to create barrier-free access to its building and to enable online participation in its programme with modern technology.

• 2019

  Dr. Werner Höbsch becomes chairman of the supporting association.

• 2018

  Norbert Bauer takes over as director on 1 September, succeeding Bernd Wacker.

• 2017

  The Archdiocese of Cologne resumes support with an annual subsidy of about 20 percent of the total budget.

• 2009

  The supporting association is renamed "Karl Rahner Akademie Köln e. V."

• 2006

  The academy begins financing itself predominantly from the financial and voluntary commitment of its listeners, friends and supporters.

• 2005

  The Archdiocese of Cologne stops further subsidies in the context of austerity measures; cooperation with the Bildungswerk ends.

• 2004

  The non-profit "Stiftung der Karl Rahner Akademie Köln" is established.

• 1993

  The friends' association "Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Karl Rahner Akademie e. V." is founded.

• 1988

  The institution is renamed "Karl Rahner Akademie" in memory of the theologian P. Karl Rahner SJ.

• 1975

  The new Weiterbildungsgesetz NRW requires restructuring; the academy becomes a special institute of the Bildungswerk of the Archdiocese of Cologne.

• 1969

  The institution takes over art, literature and intellectual-history offerings from the Albertus-Magnus-Werk and calls itself "Akademie für Erwachsenenbildung Köln im Haus der Begegnung".

• 1956

  The institution moves into its own donation-financed "Haus der Begegnung" at Jabachstraße 4–8 in Cologne.

• 1951

  The initiative takes the form of a "Soziales Seminar des katholischen Männerwerks" (Social Seminar of the Catholic Men's Work).

• 1947

  P. Heinrich Ostermann SJ begins work aimed at intellectual reorientation through Catholic social doctrine.

An independent, donation- and participant-supported Catholic city academy and dialogue forum in central Cologne, open to diverse perspectives on religion, culture, science and society.

• Theology and religion programme

  Courses and events on theology and religion led by study leader Norbert Bauer.

• Philosophy, society and natural sciences programme

  Courses and events led by study leader Mechthild Buchholz.

• Culture programme

  Cultural courses and events led by study leader Dr. T. Sofie Taubert-Marx.

• "Eine Stunde, ein Gedicht, ein Tee" series

  A recurring event series led by Dr. T. Sofie Taubert-Marx.

• Venue rental

  Rental of the academy's premises, handled in administration.

1. 1Karl Rahner Akademie – official websitekarl-rahner-akademie.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichte – Karl Rahner Akademiekarl-rahner-akademie.de
3. 3Unser Team – Karl Rahner Akademiekarl-rahner-akademie.de
4. 4Karl-Rahner-Akademie – Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Karl-Rahner-Akademie – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org