This book documents the talks presented at a conference that was held from 8 to 10 July 2011 at the Ruhr-University Bochum. Its topic: the sustainability of the parish in Germany and in the USA. In the first part American and German contributions examine the past, present and future of the parish. The second part is concerned with specific practical investigations. In addressing liturgy, catechesis and charity, these investigations draw us into the fundamental functions of church life. The contributions show, that such a comparative approach is worthwhile, not least because it can provide new impulses for the current discussions on parochial sustainability in Germany and the USA.

InhaltsangabeDer vorliegende Band dokumentiert die Vorträge einer Tagung im Projekt CrossingOver, die vom 8. bis 10. Juli 2011 an der Ruhr-Universität Bochum stattgefunden hat. Ihr Thema: Die Zukunftsfähigkeit der Pfarrei /der Gemeinde inDeutschland und den USA. Im ersten Teil fragen jeweils ein US-amerikanischer und ein deutscher Beitrag nach Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft der Pfarrei. Der zweite Teil beschäftigt sich mit konkreten Praxiserkundungen in den Grundvollzügen des kirchlichen Lebens: Liturgie, Katechese und Diakonie. Die Beiträge zeigen, dass sich ein vergleichender Zugriff lohnt, weil er neue Impulse für die aktuellen Diskussionen zur paroikalen Zukunftsfähigkeit in Deutschland und denUSAerschließt. This book documents the talks presented at a conference that was held from 8 to 10 July 2011 at the Ruhr-University Bochum. Its topic: the sustainability of the parish in Germany and in the USA. In the first part American and German contributions examine the past, present and future of the parish. The second part is concerned with specific practical investigations. In addressing liturgy, catechesis and charity, these investigations draw us into the fundamental functions of church life. The contributions show, that such a comparative approach is worthwhile, not least because it can provide new impulses for the current discussions on parochial sustainability in Germany and the USA.