Paper short abstract:

My contribution is discussing an interview with a young German catholic theologist and anti-capitalist, focussing her community experiences, her faith and everyday practices. I will discuss what role the political and the religious dimensions are playing considering her critical and utopian ideas.

Paper long abstract:

My current ethnographic research investigates Muslim and Christian anti-capitalists and their practices and discourses in Germany. Within the scope of this speech, I will focus on just one interview with a catholic theologist and activist. Therewith I would like to contrast and discuss different approaches to the phenomena of religious anti-capitalism. One approach is taken out of the living religion debate and the other from social movement theory. With these concepts, I will discuss Sabrina’s highly reflexive and hybrid construction as a catholic theologist and anti-capitalist. I will observe her anti-capitalist practice, her argumentation and ideas, as well as her community activities. I will show that community, faith, and practice are the core elements of the self-construction, 1. as areligious person, 2. as an anti-capitalist and 3. as a religious anti-capitalist.

Sabrina is working for a charity based and independent Christian institute, which is oriented on liberal theology. This institute supports development policies and exchanges (especially with Latin America), Christian-Muslim exchange processes and furthermore accompanies sanctuaries (“Kirchenasyl”) in Germany. What forms of (collective) action are they preferring, how does she argue for their campaigns? Could we talk of a person, who is politically oriented and religious at the same time, by the same practices? I would like to examine her specific "nexus of doing and sayings" (Schatzki) to understand her idea and identity of Catholicism. I would furthermore like to highlight her concrete critics (against the capitalist system) and her utopian vision (how should the people organise the economy).