"Queer anthropology of ambiguity" with respect to Paul Tillich as a fundamental precondition of performativity in a systemic pastoral-care-conversation

Burja, Katrin

Abstract

So far, gender and queer theoretical issues have hardly been considered in German-speaking pastoral care theory. Kerstin Söderblom recently presented a first pioneering work with her innovative book "Queersensitive Pastoral Care" (Söderblom 2023). The essay poses the question of systematic-theological prerequisites for such pastoral practice, which is free from heteronormative expectations. Based on Paul Tillich's view of life, I understand diversity of gender, life-forms and sexual orientations as an existential realization of potential being. Along with this, I assume that the potentiality of (sexual/gender-) diversity is grounded in being-itself (God/transcendence). The strengthening of love of self, others and God as one goal of Christian pastoral practice can only succeed if it is not inappropriately reduced to heterosexuality, binary and gender dualism. With the reference to Niklas Luhmann's self-referentiality of psychological systems, pastoral action should also be established, which recognizes the person seeking pastoral care as an expert in their own matter and can only encourage them to strengthen their ability to love by self-affirmation.