The papers in this volume on the practical theology of aging aim to engage with fundamental discourses in gerontology to reflect on central aspects of aging such as corporality, wisdom, memory, perception of time, generation, places, reality of media. In addition, the disciplines of practical theology are interrogated about their ability to increase their competence in perceiving, interpreting and acting upon the specific problems posed by aging. Here they engage in debate with neighbouring disciplines in the human sciences. Enters an up-to-date and fundamental discourse in gerontology Multi-perspective approach Of interest to scholars as well as people 'working directly in the field'

Religion als kulturelles Deutungssystem ist ohne Bezug zum PhAnomen a žLebena oe, das sich in unterschiedlichsten Lebensstilen artikuliert und darstellt, nicht denkbar. Dass Leben im Vollzug immer schon vorausgesetzt ist, drAngt in religiAse Deutungen. Die brisante Dynamik der Entwicklungen auf den Gebieten der als a >life-sciencesa (TM) apostrophierten Wissenschaften fA1/4hrt jedoch zu bedeutsamen VerAnderungen in der kulturellen Wahrnehmung und Deutung des Lebens, die auch in theologischer Perspektive neue InterpretationsbemA1/4hungen fordern. Dieser Herausforderung stellt sich der vorliegende Band.

Christian theology traditionally regards the sacramental as the polar opposite of the profane. The polarity is a memorial of contemporary desacralisation, profanisation, and sacralisation that stands as a portal to the story of modern reality. In our liminal space, we neither de-sacralise our environs nor re-sacralise the world. The lines are blurred and our perception of spirituality is neither immanent nor transcendent. While words fail to articulate the condition, stories are told and tales of experiences come together to form new theoretical nets, systems and categories. The conference volume, Sacrality and Materiality: Locating Intersections seeks to reply to the questions: Where does the sacred intersect with the material? What happens when they meet? First, however, does the sacral even exist? Would it be more productive to ignite sacramental discourse at the intersections of a new matrix? Historically, materiality is other than spirituality -- an intersection of the two is an intangible event of the intellect and spirit. We must engage a bipolar setting in the context of its own history in order to speak about the unspeakable. Despite that spirituality and materiality refuse to assume the categories assigned to the initial polarities of sacrality and profanity, the volume addresses the constrictions. Sacral materialism and sacral spiritualism both exist in their own right, and Christian theology has more to offer than polarities. The sacral is the meeting point for the fission of thought. Is the sacramental a topos for telling a postmodern story of spiritual experience? Is Evangelical sacramental theology relevant? Does theological talk about holy materiality belong in denominational and inter-religious dialogue?