Kann die Kirchengeschichte zur Sozialgeschichte werden?
There are two kinds of scholarly endeavour: those based on history, such as Art History, the history of Music, or political history, and those based on abstract systems of reasoning, such as Mathematics or Economic Theory. Of course, much of reality can be approached in either fashion. Take, for exa...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | German |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
1997
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In: |
Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte
Year: 1997, Volume: 10, Issue: 2, Pages: 348-358 |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
Non-electronic |
Summary: | There are two kinds of scholarly endeavour: those based on history, such as Art History, the history of Music, or political history, and those based on abstract systems of reasoning, such as Mathematics or Economic Theory. Of course, much of reality can be approached in either fashion. Take, for example, architecture. On the one hand, existing buildings can be examined in their historical context, to see why and how they were built; on the other hand, they can be evaluated -not necessarily positively -from today's perspective. The architectural historian has to go beyond undeniable material fact and attempt to get the "feel" of the building in its own historical setting. But he is not bound by this when planning new buildings. So also church history is not just a record of material events, since it too deals with intangible elements. Any attempt to systematise church history runs the risk of reductionism by failing to recognise the immaterial factors which influenced events. It ought to maintain its course as a "historical" not a "systematic" research endeavour. Of course, in doing so, it must necessarily take into account all aspects, and show a comprehensive understanding of historical conditions. It is not the job of church historians to sit in judgement over past events -in contrast to an architect planning a new building. |
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ISSN: | 2196-808X |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte
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