PThU appoints Kinga Zeller as associate professor of Lutheran Theology
The Executive Board of the Protestant Theological University (PThU) has appointed Dr Kinga Zeller as associate professor of Lutheran Theology. In doing so, PThU continues the tradition of theological research with a special focus on the uniqueness of Lutheran perspectives. The appointment takes effect from 1 March.
Love and self-love
Dr Kinga Zeller is currently completing her habilitation (the German 'second PhD') and is working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Germany. Before that, she was a PhD Fellow at Aarhus University, Denmark. Her research focuses primarily on the notion of love and, in particular, self-love. Zeller: "Luther and prominent thinkers in his footsteps were very critical of self-love. But there is also a line of Lutheran theologians who view self-love in a more differentiated and positive way. I include myself among the latter. At the same time, I want to integrate the crucial notions from Lutheran criticism into my own concept of self-love." The second major theme Kinga Zeller deals with is tolerance. She examines the theological foundations and motivations under the concept of tolerance, as well as focusing on the theological problems behind tolerance.
Kinga Zeller is enthousiastic about her appointment at the PThU: "The PThU's vision and mission that theological research and teaching should benefit church, academy and society appeals to me and I am eager to contribute to this ambition."
Dr Zeller's appointment is made possible by several funds, including the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in the Protestant Church. Dr Andreas Wöhle, president of this synod, welcomes the appointment: "With Dr Zeller's arrival, the Lutheran tradition at PThU will henceforth be interpreted primarily in systematic-theological terms. The voice of 'Lutheranism' will become audible when thinking through the current challenges for church and society."
