ABSTRACT
Catholic theology enjoys an extraordinary position in Germany, which allows theology and the university to be of mutual benefit to one another. This chapter assesses the complex relationship between theology, society, and the university in Germany. The function of theology in the university should not be confined to the training of future clerics, lay pastoral workers, or teachers. Instead, theology fulfils an essential role in academia: it opens up a comprehensive understanding of reality, directs attention towards the question of values in ethics, and relativises absolute truth claims by methodologically introducing elements of self-critique into religion. Conversely, the interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and the sciences and humanities in the university helps theology to achieve a comprehensive understanding of reality. In the end, it is not only the church and theology but also society and the university itself that benefit from the presence of theology in secular universities.
