Seal element of the university of freiburg in the shape of a clover

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Bernhard Spielberg

Portrait of Bernhard Spielberg

University of Freiburg
Catholic Theology, Pastoral Theology, Practical Theology

Junior Fellow
January 2015 – August 2018

E-Mail: bernhard.spielberg@theol.uni-freiburg.de

Last Update: 31.08.2018

Curriculum Vitae

Bernhard Spielberg was born in the Franconian city of Würzburg in Bavaria/Germany in 1976. After studies of Catholic Theology at the University of Würzburg he started his academic career there as assistant to Prof. Dr. Erich Garhammer in 2001. His doctoral thesis “Kann Kirche noch Gemeinde sein? Praxis, Probleme und Perspektiven der Kirche vor Ort” (“Can church still be community? Practice, problems and perspectives of the local church“) was published in 2008. In his habilitation project, finished in 2014, he examined the inspiring potential of American pragmatism (cf. William James, C.S. Pierce) for practical theology and identified hot spots of pastoral development. In 2014 he received the “venia legendi” for pastoral theology and homiletics and transferred to the University of Freiburg as Juniorprofessor. From 2015 he is one of the FRIAS Junior Fellows.

Bernhard Spielberg’s research foci are

a) social transformations in today’s society,

b) transformations of religion around the globe and

c) organizational transformations of the Catholic Church.

Among other duties he is dedicated to consulting processes of pastoraldevelopment, teaching preaching and the formation of (lay and ordained) pastors. Besides his scientific interest Bernhard Spielberg has a passion for movies, guitars, chocolate and the French culture & cuisine. He is married and father of three.

Selected Publications

FRIAS Project