Text in German / Over the last 30 years congregational counselling or church consultation has established itself in different manners in Germany. Most institutions of church consultation are methodologi-cally bound to organisational development. After a brief survey of the different kinds of con-gregational counselling the phenomenon itself is investigated. This is done by representation of two very different models of congregational counselling: The ,,Zentrum für Organisation-sentwicklung und Supervision (ZOS)" and the "Natural Church Development (NCD)". These concrete models are especially investigated in view of the missionary relevance of church consultation. In this way theological deficiencies are obvious. Further on both, the ZOS and the NCD, have another aspect in common: The relation between social sciences and theology, which is full of tensions, can be estimated as one of the central aspects of the two institutions. Not before the wider field of Church Development as locus vivendi of congregational coun-selling is analyzed, solutions can be found for this problem. On this total background it is pos-sible to summarize the missionary relevance of congregational counselling and to develop it. The search for a theological model for the theoretical and practical shaping of congregational counselling leads inevitably to "Communicative theology". This approach is processual in all its levels, shows responsibility to social sciences and is in total theologically established. So it fits for both, church and consultation processes. The missiological perspective of contextuali-zation is realised by Communicative theology. Thus the missionary relevance of congrega-tional counselling is supported. The application of Communicative theology is a model that makes it possible to speak of missionary relevance of congregational counselling. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.

Text in German / Over the last 30 years congregational counselling or church consultation has established itself in different manners in Germany. Most institutions of church consultation are methodologi-cally bound to organisational development. After a brief survey of the different kinds of con-gregational counselling the phenomenon itself is investigated. This is done by representation of two very different models of congregational counselling: The ,,Zentrum für Organisation-sentwicklung und Supervision (ZOS)" and the "Natural Church Development (NCD)". These concrete models are especially investigated in view of the missionary relevance of church consultation. In this way theological deficiencies are obvious. Further on both, the ZOS and the NCD, have another aspect in common: The relation between social sciences and theology, which is full of tensions, can be estimated as one of the central aspects of the two institutions. Not before the wider field of Church Development as locus vivendi of congregational coun-selling is analyzed, solutions can be found for this problem. On this total background it is pos-sible to summarize the missionary relevance of congregational counselling and to develop it. The search for a theological model for the theoretical and practical shaping of congregational counselling leads inevitably to "Communicative theology". This approach is processual in all its levels, shows responsibility to social sciences and is in total theologically established. So it fits for both, church and consultation processes. The missiological perspective of contextuali-zation is realised by Communicative theology. Thus the missionary relevance of congrega-tional counselling is supported. The application of Communicative theology is a model that makes it possible to speak of missionary relevance of congregational counselling. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.

Text in German with English and German summaries / Viel Stress und mangelnde Stressbewältigung beeinflussen das gesamte Leben von interkulturellen Mitarbeitern, wie Gesundheit, geistliches Leben, Arbeitsleistung und Beziehungen. Langjährige und umfangreiche Information über Stress und Stressbewältigung zeigte nur wenig positive Veränderung. Diese Untersuchung beschreibt und reflektiert das Erleben und den Umgang mit Stress interkultureller Mitarbeiter, um eine Grundlage für bessere Möglichkeiten zum Stressmanagement im interkulturellen Kontext zu schaffen und damit authentisches geistliches Leben zu fördern. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, aufzuzeigen, wie die Pastoraltherapie interkulturelle Mitarbeiter in ihrem Stressmanagement unterstützen kann. Die Untersuchung über Stress und Stressmanagement von christlichen Mitarbeitern im interkulturellen Kontext soll interkulturelle Mitarbeiter, ihre sendenden Organisationen und Seelsorger informieren und eine Grundlage für Workshops und pastoral-therapeutische Gespräche über Stressmanagement werden. Diese Arbeit zeigt auf, dass Pastoraltherapie einen wichtigen Beitrag in der Verbesserung der Stressbewältigung von christlichen interkulturellen Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern leisten kann. / Cross-cultural workers often experience very stressful conditions yet often lack appropriate coping mechanisms. Too much stress over a long period of time influences every aspect of life, like health, spiritual life, work performance and relationships. Continuous and extensive information about stress and stress management have not brought the desired changes. This research analyses stressful conditions and stress management strategies of intercultural workers in order to show the reasons for this lack of stress management. The outcome of this research will be used as a foundation to help intercultural workers to find ways how to manage their stress more effectively and to foster authentic spiritual life.The goal of this study is to highlight how pastoral therapy can support intercultural workers in their stress management. This research will show that pastoral therapy can make a significant contribution to improve stress management for Christian cross-cultural workers. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))

Summaries in German and English / Diese Arbeit handelt über das Leben und Leitungshandeln des Baptistenpredigers Arnold Köster (1896–1960). Er gilt als einer der kontinuierlichsten und schärfsten NS-Kritiker im Deutschen Reich. Während des „Dritten Reiches“ verkündigte er prophetisch das Wort Gottes und leitete so seine Wiener Gemeinde und stellte gleichzeitig das NS-Regime in Frage. Die Arbeit enthält eine komplette Leitungsbiographie Kösters. Erstmalig liegt ein Gesamtbild von Kösters Prophetieverständnis vor, das mit neueren Entwürfen prophetischer und pastoraler Leitung ins Gespräch gebracht wird. Anhand von Zitaten aus seinen Predigten wird deutlich, dass Köster der ganzen Gemeinde das prophetische Amt zuwies, aber die Bezeichnung Prophet für sich selbst ablehnte (Köster-Paradoxon). Köster wird besonders im Kontext seiner baptistischen Freikirche und ihrem Verhalten in der NS-Zeit betrachtet. Im Kontrast wird deutlich, dass Köster mit seiner Ortsgemeinde kirchlich-prophetischen Widerstand leistete. Schließlich wird herausgearbeitet, was heutige Leiter von Köster lernen können / This thesis is about the life and leadership of the Baptist preacher Arnold Köster (1896–1960). He is considered one of the sharpest and steadiest NS critics in the Third Reich. During the Third Reich he prophetically proclaimed the word of God while leading his church in Vienna and, at the same time, questioning the Nazi regime. The work contains a complete account of Köster’s leadership. It presents, for the first time ever, an overall picture of Köster’s understanding of prophecy and discusses more recent models of prophetic-pastoral leadership. Based on quotations from his sermons, it becomes clear that Köster assigned the prophetic office to the entire congregation, but rejected the term “prophet” for himself (Köster’s paradox). The emphasis here is on Köster in the context of the German Baptist Union and its conduct during the Nazi era. By way of contrast, it is clear that Köster, along with his local fellowship, put up resistance on the subject of church-prophecy. Finally, with the matter of what today’s leaders can learn from Köster is addressed / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Christian Leadership)