Prof. Dr. Jan Loffeld: Wenn nichts fehlt, wo Gott fehlt

Professor Dr. Jan Loffeld from the Tilburg School of Catholic Theology in Utrecht, Netherlands, poses the question of whether every person still asks about God. Loffeld, head of the Department of Practical Theology and Religious Studies at the Utrecht campus, spoke at the Academy's annual discussion on March 11, 2025. In his presentation to approximately 180 officers of the German Armed Forces, he sees his approach as a starting point for many practical decisions. Pastoral care and theology have thus far defined all people as inherently "in need of God." From this premise, questions of guilt and forgiveness, general coexistence, and political responsibility have been addressed. But what if we can no longer assume that every person asks about God? The lecture touches upon this question, which is then explored in greater depth from various practical perspectives during the discussion. The Catholic Academy in Bavaria is an independent ecclesiastical foundation under public law. The Bavarian bishops founded the Academy in 1957 as an independent think tank and continue to fund it today without influencing its work. Its statutes mandate it "to clarify and promote the relationship between church and world." Our range of topics encompasses religion and politics, science and technology, history and philosophy, art and culture.